More misinformation from CSIRO on Nuclear | Zoe Hilton

Energy Minister Chris Bowen loves going on and on about how renewables are so much cheaper than nuclear energy and the media loves repeating the message. But where does Minister Bowen get this from? It all comes from the CSIRO’s annual GenCost report, in which they collaborate with the Australian Energy Market Operator to update the cost estimates of new-build electricity generation, storage and hydrogen production with (they claim) a strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement.

This report estimates the cost a private investor would face for each generation technology, including wind, solar, coal, gas and many more… just not large-scale nuclear reactors. The CSIRO decided to exclude large-scale nuclear from their analysis and instead only present the costs for small modular reactors (or SMRs). This might seem a bit odd given that large-scale nuclear is a proven technology used in over 30 countries worldwide, while SMR technology is still under development.

Let's dive in and find out why the CSIRO decided to exclude large-scale nuclear.
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[BelloBudo]

I have zero confidence in anything at all that Bowen claims to know about. Therefore when he waffles-on about nuclear being the most expensive option by a long way, I start to think 'what ever Bowen says makes the complete opposite more likely to be the truth'.

[gribbo]

CSIRO are too quiet on apologising for stuffing up

[torrespearls]

The CSIRO dude's attitude and the fact's you've highlighted make this a major news story. Can't beleive that dude has such a job. Manipulation of science. Thanks for the clip.

[higgos]

Chris Bowen and the CSIRO should be charged with negligence!

[beepboop]

This is why people have no trust in science anymore. Science used to be about facts and not politics. Scientists don't understand that now the public doesn't trust them on medical advice, energy, or the climate, well done team, your ability to do good has been dissolved!

[CISAus]

What do you think of nuclear power for Australia?

[howarddyer]

How did CSRIO ever get to be a consultant expert on Energy?

[Andrew-dcxj]

Thanks....interesting. Its strange how Australia has the largest deposit of uranium in the world and exports large amounts for use as energy in other countries.

[brucermarino]

Thank you! Science without truth is not science.

[conservativeview]

There is no accountability both in the government and in the public service. Integrity no longer exists

[georgetsagaris]

Chris Bowen has also found brains are very expensive and that's why he hasty purchased any for himself yet.

[peterbrown]

Find out who it was that failed in this debacle and drag them in front of the courts. If they are found guilty of this cover up or whatever one wants to call it, they need to have the full power of the law come down upon them. Perhaps even make them pay for these idiotic renewables that we are wasting billions $ on.

[heleti]

One “could” surmise that the CSIRO depend on government funding, therefore, would be more likely to submit a “report” that is heavily biased and agrees with government agenda, in order to secure future funding increases ?

[klimatbluffen]

I have seen electricity bills go up at the same rate as they have expanded weather-dependent electricity production and closed fully functioning nuclear power plants.

[vkdgn]

They could have dropped a nuclear power station in on the site of the former Hazelwood coal station - all the infrastructure for power distribution, cooling etc. was there. All the government really needs to do is drop the ban on nuclear energy.

[timcowell]

SMR's - or at least the ones being developed by Rolls Royce - are based on technologies already existing in military shipping (aircraftcarriers and submarines, for instance). If they were too expensive then navies around the world wouldn't be buying them.

[simongross]

Even Japan which suffered a disaster at Fukushima is reinvesting in nuclear energy.

[Lukey]

I'm an engineer. I live on math. Did the report go into the modern gen 5 reactor designs? The fast neutron reactors that can burn nuclear waste? That other countries will pay us to take their waste? Or the fact that the new reactors burn something around 97% of the energy available in the fuel. The waste from them is a fraction of the waste generated by the old designs and doesn't need to be stored anywhere near as long. Or that the new high temperature liquid sodium reactors can take the hydrogen from sea water and combine it with carbon scrubbed from the atmosphere and produce hydrocarbons ( petroleum ).

[hardrada]

I'm glad I found your channel - finally some truth telling

[chuckmaddison]

Nuclear is safe and clean . Less deaths from nuclear than coal.
It's cheap for the customer.
Australia is just a few decades behind.