096-128UK.qxd:Layout 1
29-04-2010
17:28
Pagina 110
oxygen 09 – 05.2010
110
estimates that it can already have it
gy. Electoral reasons probably
energy and climatic change. Energy
power has to be on the table.” The
operating by the beginning of
played a part, in that he did not
Secretary Chu, after a thorough
blog goes on to be even more
2011. “We must be competitive,”
want to alienate the environmen-
study convincing him that the most
explicit: “Also remember that wind
Obama declared. “China, France,
talists all lined up in favor of him
recent technologies for nuclear
and solar are intermittent energy
Japan and other countries are build-
against the “atomic” Republican
energy of the latest generation
sources. The sun isn’t always shin-
ing a total of 55 new nuclear reac-
contender, John McCain.
such as the oft-mentioned West-
ing and the wind isn’t always blow-
tors. So make no mistake: whether
In that lively electoral campaign,
inghouse Ap1000 are safer than
ing. Without technical break-
it’s nuclear energy, or solar or wind
only the Democratic Senator from
those that caused the accident at
throughs in efficient large-scale
energy, if we fail to invest in the
Massachusetts, John Kerry, came
the Three Mile Island plant near
energy storage, it will be difficult to
technologies of tomorrow then
out with support in the article pub-
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1979,
rely on intermittent renewables for
we’re going to be importing those
lished in “The New York Times,”
believes that atomic energy is des-
much more than 20-30% of our
technologies instead of exporting
written together with the Republi-
tined to always play an indispensa-
electricity. But nuclear power can
them.”
can Lindsey Graham, where he
ble part. With an unusual initiative,
provide large amounts of carbon-
Then, anticipating the objection by
declared: “While we invest in
the Nobel Prize winner for physics
free power that is always avail-
the anti-nuclear faction, he warned:
renewable energy sources like wind
has used the social network Face-
able.” If these are the official con-
“On an issue that affects our econ-
and solar, we must also take advan-
book to illustrate his theses and to
siderations in favor of nuclear
omy, our security, and the future of
tage of nuclear power, our single
reply to the skeptics’ rebuttals.
power, there are other, more prag-
our planet, we can’t continue to be
largest contributor of emission-free
“Some of you expressed a prefer-
matic ones that the Obama admin-
mired in the same old debates
power.” Nuclear reactors today
ence for solar and wind power over
istration is keeping well in mind.
between left and right, between
produce 72% of American electric-
nuclear energy: I share your enthu-
The first is the driving force of new
environmentalists and entrepre-
ity not derivative from fossil fuels.
siasm for these renewable sources
jobs that will develop, with the pos-
neurs. The fact is, changing the
The
Protection
of energy and we are on pace to
sibility of hiring thousands of tech-
ways we produce and use energy
double our renewable energy
nicians and scientists for the new
requires us to think anew and act
Agency has predicted that in order to reduce CO2 emissions according
capacity by 2012. But,” Steven Chu
nuclear plants. This is extremely
anew. And it demands of us a will-
to the legal parameters regarding
warns us, “no single technology
important because the growth of
ingness to extend our hand across
climate change, already approved
will provide all the answers. Wind
the job market will take place in the
old divides, to act in good faith, to
by the House of Representatives, it
and solar now provide about 3% of
depressed area of the Mid-west.
move beyond the broken politics of
will be necessary to have 187 new
our electricity, compared to 20%
The second is the re-launching of
the past.” Powerful words, the kind
nuclear power plants by 2050. And
for nuclear. While we are working
research and the development of
that have not been heard for a long
of these, according to the US Ener-
as hard as we can to promote ener-
new technologies in a sector that
time, ever since the Republican sen-
gy Information Administration, we
gy efficiency in every part sector of
has languished for three decades
ator from New Mexico, Pete
would already need 69 of them by
America, it is likely that our energy
due to the fear raised by the acci-
Domenici, of Italian descent, fought
2030. If they are not built, the costs
demand will continue to rise.
dent at the Three Mile Island plant
like a lion in the arena of the Wash-
of electricity and natural gas, as
In fact, the Energy Information
and, successively, the one at the
ington Congress for supporting the
well as carbon dioxide emissions,
Administration projects an almost
Chernobyl plant in the Ukraine. The
civilian use of nuclear energy.
will increase exponentially.
20% increase in overall energy
third is the reawakening of the
After his retirement last year,
Once established in the White
demands
nuclear industry in general, which
Domenici found his successor in
House, Obama stopped delaying,
increase in electricity demands over
seemed to be moribund.
Obama. Surprising. Because – keep
also due to the driving force of the
the next 25 years under current
Unlike in Italy, the difficulty of the
it well in mind – for his entire presi-
nuclear physicist Chu, temporarily
laws. If we want to make a serious
civilian use of atomic energy in the
dential campaign, the Democratic
on loan to politics, as well as to
dent in carbon dioxide emissions –
United States is more of a financial
candidate had shown to be luke-
Carol Browner, Assistant to the
not to mention having cleaner air
than an environmental matter. The
warm on the topic of nuclear ener-
American President with regards to
and cleaner water – then nuclear
objection raised most emphatically
Environmental
and
an
over
30%