Nuclear energy - An error or the future? | Made in Germany

While nuclear plants are being built all over the world, Germany is phasing out atomic energy. DW looks at what is going on at a global level and examines why Germany has taken a different path.

[reptko]

I believe nuclear energy is one of the best energy sources. But for most people feeling safe is much more important than actual safety, that’s why we always worry about plane crashes even though car crashes kill far more people each year.

Sadly that’s how human brains work.

[atomicchimichangas]

and then germany replaced nuclear with coal

[arturhamernik]

why make clean energy when you can just burn coal instead, yes they did replace it with fossil fuel while telling everybody how green they are

[mr.mensch]

Welp. Germany, as much as I love ya, you dug a pit for yourself.

[danieb]

I think there is an argument to be made in favour of Nuclear Power Plants - they have little to no CO2 or other greenhouse gas emissions. Their only by product is nuclear waste (and that could more or less be safely disposed of).

Update: Mind if I back up my argument a bit? I KNOW about the disadvantages about Nuclear Power, but think about it:Most likely you guys are in industrialized countries, some of which have a population of more than 50 million people. That means that the conservative energy demand of your country is at least 30 000 MW at any time during the day.

One of the largest single solar farms in the world, Topaz Solar Farm, only generates about 550 MW (125 MW on average throughout the year when you consider the farm's measly 23% capacity factor) and the plant cost about $2.4 billion to build. The perks are lower maintenance costs, and almost completely free energy. In contrast a nuclear power plant that delivers about the same MW supply costs between $1-2 Billion, but delivers on average 460 MW throughout the year (84% of its capacity factor), however it is also more maintenance intensive (but slightly cheaper than coal power plants per year).

Additionally you have the problem with space. If you don't have a large desert you would probably also cause damage to some local ecosystem with a solar farm on the scale of those in the 550 MW class, seeing as they take up about 25 square km of space.

Ideally I'm all in favor of completely renewable energy types, but as of yet they aren't all that feasible as most of them have low capacity factors at extreme costs for the same maximum energy generation capability on paper as most other, more effective power plants.

[juanblanco]

2022 changed things. Coal & Nuke is important now to stay alive this winter.

[sfojulius]

I believe that Nuclear Energy is a good short-term solution until Renewables have gotten more efficient and reliable or we have found better ways to use for example Fusion Energy

[kirbymankandenpf]

error? catastrophic blunder is more like it.

[VinnieBoombatz]

Figures the French would take the easy way out and build scores of Nuclear Reactors.

[ontheletuatua]

resize or make it smaller will solve the problem

[atypicalhomosapian]

nuclear is the stupidest way to boil water, they put the cart before the horse by building nuclear power stations without knowing how to stop the reactions or store the waste-- FAIL