Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Germany decides to abandon nuclear power by 2022
AP via MassLive.com ^

Posted on 05/30/2011 9:07:54 PM PDT by matt04

BERLIN (AP) — Europe's economic powerhouse, Germany, announced plans Monday to abandon nuclear energy over the next 11 years, outlining an ambitious strategy in the wake of Japan's Fukushima disaster to replace atomic power with renewable energy sources.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said she hopes the transformation to more solar, wind and hydroelectric power serves as a roadmap for other countries.

"We believe that we can show those countries who decide to abandon nuclear power — or not to start using it — how it is possible to achieve growth, creating jobs and economic prosperity while shifting the energy supply toward renewable energies," Merkel said.

...

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, whose country relies on nuclear power to produce 80 percent of its electricity supply, insisted "there's no way" for the European Union to meet its emission-cutting targets without at least some nuclear power.

"We respect this decision, but it doesn't cause us to change our policy," Fillon said. France operates more than one-third of the nuclear reactors in the EU.

Sweden's Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren also criticized the German decision, telling The Associated Press that the focus on an end date was unfortunate and could drive up electricity prices across Europe.

(Excerpt) Read more at masslive.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Germany; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: merkel; nuclearpower
And when it is not sunny or windy?
1 posted on 05/30/2011 9:08:00 PM PDT by matt04
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: matt04

Nothing like making a rushed, politically-expedient decision based on an earthquake at a poorly-maintained, ancient nuclear plant — a decision in a nation nowhere NEAR a major fault line or a potential tidal wave.

To paraphrase South Park, WTF is wrong with German people.


2 posted on 05/30/2011 9:10:05 PM PDT by pogo101
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: matt04

That should seal their destiny as the Islamic Republic of Germany


3 posted on 05/30/2011 9:11:35 PM PDT by bigbob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: matt04

They will abandon their plan to abandon nuclear power long before 2022


4 posted on 05/30/2011 9:11:37 PM PDT by JohnBrowdie (http://forum.stink-eye.net)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: matt04

I guess Germany has decided to follow Spain down the drain.


5 posted on 05/30/2011 9:12:19 PM PDT by mylife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: matt04

Merkel goes where only a crazy old Spaniard went.

It will be the same result.

6 posted on 05/30/2011 9:22:14 PM PDT by DeFault User
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: matt04

On a somewhat cautious note, I wonder if this is even possible?

And where on Earth is Dr. Emmet Brown with that Mr. Fusion???


7 posted on 05/30/2011 9:24:04 PM PDT by Jack Hammer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pogo101
To paraphrase South Park, WTF is wrong with German people.

WTF is wrong with American people?

Obama through the EPA is going to make American Coal Production of Electricity so expensive that you won't be able to afford it.

Nuclear Power is so expensive and regulated because an out of control government is hell bent on making it nearly impossible to build and run.

Obama loves windmills and solar panels which is even more expensive.

8 posted on 05/30/2011 9:27:19 PM PDT by politicianslie (Democrats are COMMUNISTS, Repubs are SOCIALISTS, and Barry is a radical Muslim)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: matt04

This the same lamearse Germany that decided to bailout Greece for a second time? =.=


9 posted on 05/30/2011 9:28:32 PM PDT by cranked
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: matt04

There is nothing wrong with down sizing the nuclear power plant, to where it would be safer and more manageable . The units on an aircraft carried produce as much power as a medium size hydro dam and would be much safer.


10 posted on 05/30/2011 9:29:04 PM PDT by org.whodat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: matt04
And when it is not sunny or windy?

Sorry, but what a foolish thought pattern, that ignores economic and financial realities. Now, don't you think if it was sunny or windy on a consistent basis, some wise German financier wouldn't have long ago taken advantage of those source's of available, cheap energy to use either or both to make money? I mean really?

Take your basic economics reality class in elementary school over again and pay attention this time. Take notes you can refer to later to talk to other adults.
11 posted on 05/30/2011 9:30:12 PM PDT by JSteff ((((It was ALL about SCOTUS. Most forget about that and HAVE DOOMED us for a generation or more.))))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pogo101
You do know that Ronald Reagan was anti nuclear power don't you???? So one could say Germany was in good company. But then I always supported nuclear power.
12 posted on 05/30/2011 9:40:00 PM PDT by org.whodat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: org.whodat
to where it would be safer and more manageable
Again, who says they can't reasonably do that.. or wouldn't do that if it was economically realistic now????

Basic economics is all that controls it. If it was feasible now they would do it. Remember, our aircraft carriers are build with NO VIEW to that. The military can throw as much money at it as required.

Again, use your head and ask why it is not being done now if a business could see it would make a profit.

Think before you post. Saying barrack obama type totally illogical statements will win no points in the arena of common sense reality.
13 posted on 05/30/2011 9:42:49 PM PDT by JSteff ((((It was ALL about SCOTUS. Most forget about that and HAVE DOOMED us for a generation or more.))))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: politicianslie

Welcome back to the 16th century.


14 posted on 05/30/2011 9:44:20 PM PDT by o_zarkman44 ("When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty." Thomas Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: JSteff

LOL, economics of scale, your produce one large plant all of the tooling and machinery is custom built for that plant, mass production of smaller plants will cut cost by billions. Now that is economics 101.


15 posted on 05/30/2011 9:53:48 PM PDT by org.whodat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: org.whodat
Again, if it was at all feasible and could make a profit why wouldn't it be done? Remember, the cost to research and build it is only a small part of the real cost. In our country, the real cost of the plant would need to to include the YEARS of lawsuits, before, during, and after construction.

Our court system and anti-???? groups can go after them for decades even if it works perfectly. Get out your slide rule again and take your figured cost X infinity. That is why NONE has been put online for years here.

So look at it with those variables/certainties and recalculate to get the real $$$$ reasons why it is not done in ANY possible here.

It is just common sense and numbers... or it would have been already done.
16 posted on 05/30/2011 10:21:45 PM PDT by JSteff ((((It was ALL about SCOTUS. Most forget about that and HAVE DOOMED us for a generation or more.))))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: JSteff

The question is, do you want a way to have nuclear power are do you wish to forget about it. Because I can tell you after this thing in japan it will be a very, very, long, long, long time before another one of this size and type will be built anywhere. And if you could get it built the insurance would be out of this world.


17 posted on 05/30/2011 10:35:56 PM PDT by org.whodat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: matt04

LOL

fine by me.

go backwards and make yourselves further irrelevant.


18 posted on 05/30/2011 10:40:03 PM PDT by Vendome ("Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it anyway")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: matt04

Nuclear energy is convenient until you have a meltdown. There is nothing you can do except wait, like for over a hundred years before you can even try to clean it up.

Check back at Fukushima, Japan a year from now and you will understand why the Germans made their decision.


19 posted on 05/31/2011 12:32:20 AM PDT by Razzz42
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: matt04

I guess they don’t have any books in the libraries that describe the Middle Ages so they have to experience it for themselves: cold, dark, hungry, miserable...


20 posted on 05/31/2011 2:31:10 AM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson