Alternative Energy
May. 15th, 2005 10:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
omlyDue to my graduate research I am really interested in alternate energy sources to fossil fuels. Obviously fuel cells (what my group focuses on) are included, but also things like the giant mock-up windmill over by the gas tanks/union building. We saw it when we were driving down to a graduation party yesterday. (Speaking of which it was not spinning, but I am not sure if that was due to it not being ready or if there was just not enough wind.) As a result I am really proud of going to Tufts University, who's trying to follow the Kyoto protocol* despite the fact that the US would not agree to it, unlike much of the rest of the developed world.
But there was a terrible story linked on the BPAL forums about a nuclear accident. It is a little strange that the US media has not picked up on this story. I mean 20 tonnes** of uranium and plutonium fuel is a not negligible amount sitting around in nitric acid. Especially considering there is enough plutonium unspent to make 20 nuclear weapons, you would think the terrorist crazy media and administration wouls have said something.
The really sad part of all of this is that Britain is trying so hard to comply with Kyoto standards that I think that problems with various plants seem to be being overlooked. This nuclear plant seems to have had a history of problems, yet nothing radical has been done to improve the plant. This is probably because of the huge expense involved. Often it is just more cost effective to build a new one.
*For those not aware, the Kyoto protocol calls for greenhouse gas emissions to be no higher than that for 1990.
**A tonne is aka a metric tonne, which is made up of 1000kg. This is apposed to an english standard ton, which Americans are more familiar with.
But there was a terrible story linked on the BPAL forums about a nuclear accident. It is a little strange that the US media has not picked up on this story. I mean 20 tonnes** of uranium and plutonium fuel is a not negligible amount sitting around in nitric acid. Especially considering there is enough plutonium unspent to make 20 nuclear weapons, you would think the terrorist crazy media and administration wouls have said something.
The really sad part of all of this is that Britain is trying so hard to comply with Kyoto standards that I think that problems with various plants seem to be being overlooked. This nuclear plant seems to have had a history of problems, yet nothing radical has been done to improve the plant. This is probably because of the huge expense involved. Often it is just more cost effective to build a new one.
*For those not aware, the Kyoto protocol calls for greenhouse gas emissions to be no higher than that for 1990.
**A tonne is aka a metric tonne, which is made up of 1000kg. This is apposed to an english standard ton, which Americans are more familiar with.
