Airborne Wind Energy - KQED QUEST

HT Ken Caldeira
via Twitter

Unanticipated consequences

Marijn Dekkers said Bayer could 'consider relocating its production' in the wake of Germany's move away from nuclear. Photograph: Oliver Berg/EPA


Germany's decision to phase out nuclear power after the Fukushima catastrophe in Japan could lead to some of the country's major companies relocating elsewhere in search of cheaper energy.

Marijn Dekkers, head of Bayer, the pharmaceuticals group, said: "It is important that we remain competitive compared with other countries. Otherwise, a global company like Bayer will have to consider relocating its production to countries with lower energy costs."

Bayer threatens to quit Germany over nuclear shutdown

Whodathunk?

So here is a huge incentive for developing nations to keep building coal power plants to attract business and therefore jobs! And this horrible unanticipated consequence has been brought to you by people who call themselves Environmentalists, whose knee jerk reaction to nuclear power was burned in in the '70s and has not been revisited since, which results in some hasty and ill conceived decision making.

Power Surge- NOVA

Watch the full episode. See more NOVA.

This is a hopeful view.

Who are you going to blame?

The United States fell behind China and Germany in clean energy investments in 2010, a result of the lack of a coherent national energy policy in the U.S., according to a report by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

e360 digest

Blame the voters. We have met the enemy and he is us

Another thing that bugs me is the way we all discuss the coming climate catastrophe as if everything will be normal, and suddenly in 2050 it all goes to hell. No, in 2049 it'll be bad, in 2039 and 2029 it'll be bad, but not as bad... and we are likely to see more rough spots (drought, fire, flood) this decade.

The Relationship between Nuclear Power and Climate Change

The situation in Japan is undeniably dire. But Jeffrey Eckel, president and CEO of Hannon Armstrong—a company that finances infrastructure technology for sophisticated energy systems—argues that, without nuclear power, we will not be able to reduce carbon emissions enough to avoid the ruinous consequences of global warming. Eckel spoke to Joshua Pringle, senior editor for Worldpress.org, about the tough choices we as a society face in providing energy for the world's ever-expanding population.

The Relationship between Nuclear Power and Climate Change

It's been disheartening to see the traditional environmentalists cling to opinions held since the 70s. No, nuclear is not the solution, it is a bridge that will support us while we build energy systems that do not have lethal consequences, either by operating as designed (coal) or human error and natural disaster (Fukushima).

Does Civilization Have a Promising Energy Future?

Steven Chu before he got tapped to be President Obama's Energy Secretary.

Two years have passed without much progress. It doesn't matter whether we can, it only matters whether we will.

Here's Obama two years ago:



Obama today? In his State of the Union Address he didn't even mention climate change :(.

---