Thread: Wind farms versus nuclear power stations.

Well there is not really any waste because if you think about it all you are doing is taking a radioactive uranium ore and concentrating it and then changing it into something else which is radioactive and then putting it back in the ground!

quote: Originally posted by Baron von Lotsov.: So is falling out of an aeroplane but the d'mb asses still use them when they want a holiday! Oh and all that radiation from the sun, best pack a Geiger counter for the next trip don't you think. Also watch out for the radioactive rocks and the radon gas seeping through your floorboards. So do you mind if we bury the nuclear subs in Rosyth in your garden then baron seeing as how...

quote: Originally posted by Baron von Lotsov.: As I was saying earlier there is a difference between types of radiation. Alpha particles can be stopped with a piece of paper whereas you need a sheet of lead to stop gamma rays. Now in addition to this there are two other important factors, one is the half life, and the other is the amount of radiation emitted by an isotope. A rule of thumb is that there is an inverse relationship between the...

quote: Originally posted by weefatshug: quote: Originally posted by Bacchus: What about the enviromental impact of wind farms? If you take the energy out of the wind it slows down which means increased temperatures across the UK and also less precipitation from the sea and therefore less rain and more droughts. Also if you reduce the speed of the wind across the UK the warm air coming from the gulf stream will not reach the nordic countries...

Nuclear power is very expensive and only exists because of huge government subsidies.

quote: Originally posted by Taranis: quote: Originally posted by Bacchus: What about the enviromental impact of wind farms? Dont be absurd. Compared to Nuclear they are a breeze. Unless you want your great granchildren to die of cancer aged 4...... Quick pop quiz for you: Chernobyl was the very worst kind of nuclear accident, it really couldn't have been all that much worse. How many people were killed as a result - given that 100,000s...

quote: Originally posted by Bacchus: It has been proven that wind farms decrease the speed of the wind. What are the perils of nuclear fusion? Apart from radiation in the reactor core, which only has a half life of about 100 years, the waste output is tiny compared to current generators and we know that fusion is good for the planet as it is the reason that life can exist on this rock. This must be the answer to the American hurricane belt?

quote: Originally posted by netnut: If a nuclear fusion station went bang wouldn’t it make a nuclear fission accident look like a firecracker. Neither are capable of going bang in the first place.

Anyone remember the lack of wind last christmas? Lack of sun as well. Lasted about a week. So, hook your bike up to a dynamo to watch the telly? I remember power cuts and do not want to revisit them in this day and age. I am more than happy for renewable but lets have some proper nuclear plants to back them up. Clean coal etc.

quote: the bottom line was that if one is say rated at 500w that means it will produce that power in about 25 knots of wind. Thank you for your answer. Have you managed to find any independent reports on the efficacity or otherwise of wind turbines? I tend to agree with you that criticising alternative power sources, rather like expressing doubts about global warming, is akin to heresy. That's why it would be useful to have some facts...