8/21/08 Attn: Media! Nuclear Energy Won’t Replace Any 

               Oil (Unfortunately)

By Peter Forman
Published: August 21, 2008
New York—The media, our legislators, and presidential candidates are promoting nuclear energy as a partial solution to achieve energy independence.

 

We only wish it were a solution.

 

Here are the simple facts:

1) Nuclear energy is used to power the electric grid. Period.

 

2) The power grid is fueled as follows (see chart below):

· 59% coal

· 17% nuclear

· 11% natural gas

· 11% various renewables (including hydro), and

·   2% oil— that's correct; just 2% oil.

 

3) Oil is used to generate electricity in only a few places: Long Island, Hawaii, and Florida.

 

4) Therefore, unless these places were to "go nuclear," which is unlikely, then new nuclear plants do almost nothing to achieve energy independence.

 

5) New nuclear plants might displace coal or natural gas and make us "cleaner," but not freer.

 

The only place where we can realistically control or replace our oil consumption is in the transportation sector.

Therefore, cars and vehicles need to move beyond oil.

 

So while someday, nuclear energy may be part of a larger plan for the fueling of electric cars, it is not our top priority.

 

Only a small group of Americans understand the relationship between nuclear energy, oil, and energy independence.

 

Nuclear second; but first we need to move beyond oil.

Copyright 2008. MoveBeyondOil.org.  All rights reserved.

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