This thread will focus on the role of electricity in economic development, the magnitude of the problem, the disparity in availability, and its implications. Concrete examples are solicited.
2 thoughts on “Electricity poverty and social development”
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A comment that I received:
The challenge with nuclear is not of technology or economics. It is of perceived safety. No one
wants one in their backyard.
To clear this perception in today’s world is not going to be easy.
Japan one of the erstwhile biggest nuclear energy producers has moved away from it
significantly.
I think nuclear will be part of the mix where the public image can be managed or it already
exists. And maybe in developing countries where the need is so great that locals are ready to
compromise with their perception.
But the rich countries are going renewable with wind and solar. And we will soon enough
figure out how to run turbines on clean hydrogen to clean up the natural gas path.
So the clean up will be slower than with nuclear, but it’s gonna happen just the same.
I agree that rich countries seem to be embracing wind/solar, but i think that will not last long. It is clear that Ontario with 50-60% nuclear generated electricity is only 10% as carbon intensive as Germany. I believe that the economic competiveness of Germany will be hurt by their current policies. When it comes time to replace the current wind turbines, will they do so? I suspect not.