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Japan's Future -- Fossil or Nuclear?

Forbes -- How will Japan meet its energy demands in the next two decades? There are two short-term choices: 1) decommission all nuclear plants and replace them with new fossil fuel plants, or 2) restart the nuclear fleet and upgrade their capacity to replace the lost capacity of the Fukushima plants. There are some variations on these two, e.g., shut down only the oldest plants (twelve pre-date 1980), build a few new gas plants, or adjust the particular mix of coal versus gas, but the economic and environmental costs of these two paths are vastly different.

Japan had planned to increase renewables, increase energy efficiency and replace old nuclear plants with new ones, but this is now shelved in the aftermath of the tsunami. The problem is that Japan has no significant energy resources.

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Submitted Jul 30, 2012 By: Mudsprings

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,818 Points:1,636,370 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 2, 2012 4:57:42 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse reduce, reuse, recycle and waste less overall.
remay Champion Author Houston Posts:7,078 Points:2,143,215 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 5:40:58 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse Hmmmm ... title of the post is certainly DIFFERENT than the article! "Japan Would Be Crazy Not To Refocus On Nuclear"
LilRedWagonIN Champion Author Indiana Posts:7,907 Points:1,580,135 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 11:32:21 PM Ignore LilRedWagonIN Report Abuse Make a decision or they won't have a future.
Tacodan Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:2,457 Points:680,330 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 9:20:26 PM Ignore Tacodan Report Abuse nuk
Night Owl Champion Author Toronto Posts:7,685 Points:1,813,925 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:17:23 PM Ignore Night Owl Report Abuse TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) has proven time and again that they can't be trusted.
SkooterG Champion Author Phoenix Posts:1,369 Points:344,185 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 1:39:40 PM Ignore SkooterG Report Abuse Excellent article.
bigt61 All-Star Author Virginia Posts:670 Points:205,350 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 10:32:49 AM Ignore bigt61 Report Abuse Nukes are cheap, clean and safe. Fukushima was a one off occurrence - an old plant that should have been retired located in an extremely dangerous place. How many deaths from Fukushima? Zero. How many people die from natural gas explosions in their homes every year? Plenty - but we think nothing of using natural gas everywhere. Rooftop solar is more dangerous than nukes. Deaths by Energy Source "Last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster has not led to any deaths or illnesses from radiation so far, but has caused social and psychological problems, UN radiation experts say. Cancer rates will not rise significantly in Japan, according to interim findings by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). "The add-on effect of this radiation will be low and will not be observable scientifically," said Wolfgang Weiss, the German government radiation expert who heads the panel of scientists."
miser73 Champion Author Gary Posts:1,292 Points:259,235 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 10:00:22 AM Ignore miser73 Report Abuse They need to apply the lessons learned from Fukushima to tsunami-proof the rest of their nukes.
AlienBug All-Star Author Connecticut Posts:732 Points:218,035 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 8:59:43 AM Ignore AlienBug Report Abuse Nuclear is the way to go.
GetMaxCashBack Veteran Author Trenton Posts:386 Points:173,775 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 8:54:10 AM Ignore GetMaxCashBack Report Abuse Nuclear seems to be the best option for Japan.
sljbc475 Champion Author Tucson Posts:4,355 Points:899,100 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:46:10 AM Ignore sljbc475 Report Abuse Several alternatives, but nuclear could still be safe.
chemist74 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:13,510 Points:2,395,980 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:03:34 AM Ignore chemist74 Report Abuse Solar and wind could provide only a small part of Japan's energy needs. Since Japan needs to import essentially all their carbon-based energy, nuclear is just about the only logical source of base-load power.
photobuddy Champion Author Washington Posts:1,620 Points:370,255 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:02:21 AM Ignore photobuddy Report Abuse It look as if the choice that Japan makes will affect us all. I hope the future does not include an increase of fossil fuels. Lets keep this rock we live on cool.
Sam1004 Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:1,111 Points:362,330 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:01:30 AM Ignore Sam1004 Report Abuse There has to be an answer for all of us..............
Beau2140 Champion Author New York Posts:8,436 Points:1,684,860 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:00:08 AM Ignore Beau2140 Report Abuse A decision I don't have to make.
Marson Champion Author Scranton Posts:9,082 Points:2,104,885 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:57:39 AM Ignore Marson Report Abuse Must be some safe modern nuclear.
badbonita Champion Author Syracuse Posts:6,361 Points:1,380,435 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:56:06 AM Ignore badbonita Report Abuse Rock, mean hard place. There is no easy answer for this situation.
WinderGuy Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,965 Points:956,010 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:53:24 AM Ignore WinderGuy Report Abuse ok
GasholeMI Champion Author Lansing Posts:10,274 Points:1,745,015 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:52:05 AM Ignore GasholeMI Report Abuse That is a pickle for them.
fireless1 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:2,261 Points:562,920 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:52:00 AM Ignore fireless1 Report Abuse ok
pnd1 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:5,201 Points:1,065,110 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:51:46 AM Ignore pnd1 Report Abuse Why do I care?
alwaysridin88 Champion Author Ohio Posts:1,527 Points:590,720 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:51:30 AM Ignore alwaysridin88 Report Abuse Ok
maxcap59 Champion Author Texas Posts:2,875 Points:610,195 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:50:51 AM Ignore maxcap59 Report Abuse Maybe the EPA should go bother Japan for a while, and give this country a break. We could sure do without them.
rippinusoff Champion Author Lexington Posts:7,538 Points:1,514,500 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:50:41 AM Ignore rippinusoff Report Abuse ok
skybiker Champion Author South Carolina Posts:7,403 Points:1,585,640 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:50:29 AM Ignore skybiker Report Abuse Don't care....
biza4u Champion Author New Haven Posts:8,664 Points:1,655,600 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:50:15 AM Ignore biza4u Report Abuse Nukes
mk9999 Champion Author Rochester Posts:8,050 Points:1,700,570 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:49:56 AM Ignore mk9999 Report Abuse We need solar and wind power.
gws2980 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:2,316 Points:527,090 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:49:35 AM Ignore gws2980 Report Abuse Build nuclear that run on old rods that still have active energy. Thare are plenty of them that we don't know what to do with them.
taxiken Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:6,080 Points:1,573,475 Joined:Feb 2003	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:49:24 AM Ignore taxiken Report Abuse ?
QualTekGuy Champion Author Illinois Posts:3,178 Points:760,365 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:49:02 AM Ignore QualTekGuy Report Abuse Don't tell Barrack that they are going to go to fossil fuels.
Gas_Buzzer Champion Author South Carolina Posts:14,274 Points:2,615,240 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:48:57 AM Ignore Gas_Buzzer Report Abuse Who cares anyway? That's Japan's problem. We have our own problem...it's Barry "Big Ears" (Big Liar) Hussein Obammie.
paty2k Champion Author Florida Posts:1,603 Points:275,060 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:48:44 AM Ignore paty2k Report Abuse How will we??
teegeesp All-Star Author Madison Posts:880 Points:600,000 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:48:29 AM Ignore teegeesp Report Abuse ok
Beardog1FL Champion Author Florida Posts:1,018 Points:692,210 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:48:25 AM Ignore Beardog1FL Report Abuse Do away with outdated plants.
WVUtailgater Champion Author Cleveland Posts:8,571 Points:1,726,160 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:47:31 AM Ignore WVUtailgater Report Abuse does it really matter
hubcapLA Champion Author Louisiana Posts:3,905 Points:940,435 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:46:53 AM Ignore hubcapLA Report Abuse And how does this affect our gas prices?
billk44077 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:3,315 Points:658,280 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:46:12 AM Ignore billk44077 Report Abuse oK
lpatti1 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:10,321 Points:1,988,440 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:46:05 AM Ignore lpatti1 Report Abuse Who cres!
Tnerbeel Champion Author Houston Posts:8,965 Points:1,776,290 Joined:Mar 2007	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:45:41 AM Ignore Tnerbeel Report Abuse Nuclear is a very dirty energy choice.
YodaON Champion Author Ottawa Posts:3,056 Points:805,540 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:45:24 AM Ignore YodaON Report Abuse as long as there are no more earthquakes
stpetebp Champion Author Tampa Posts:6,363 Points:1,760,055 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:45:18 AM Ignore stpetebp Report Abuse Neither
mrpc90 Champion Author Illinois Posts:8,208 Points:1,952,460 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:45:03 AM Ignore mrpc90 Report Abuse How about not building future nuclear plants in an area that could be threatened with a tsunami?
arinkrat17 Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:6,421 Points:1,358,870 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:44:44 AM Ignore arinkrat17 Report Abuse which ever is safer and cheaper
Yankee829 Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,344 Points:587,065 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:44:41 AM Ignore Yankee829 Report Abuse Ok
HelenT Champion Author Buffalo Posts:3,089 Points:623,375 Joined:Apr 2004	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:44:36 AM Ignore HelenT Report Abuse ....
NDQ Champion Author Maryland Posts:2,080 Points:408,270 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:44:16 AM Ignore NDQ Report Abuse ok
kjSC Champion Author South Carolina Posts:3,377 Points:681,375 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:44:00 AM Ignore kjSC Report Abuse Interesting article.
wingryder92 Champion Author British Columbia Posts:6,099 Points:586,680 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:43:37 AM Ignore wingryder92 Report Abuse Nuke plants on higher ground sounds great but let's not forget the Country is on earthquake prone islands.
4bobux Champion Author Peoria Posts:1,967 Points:411,805 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:42:56 AM Ignore 4bobux Report Abuse Where's Godzilla when you need him?
fxb1 Champion Author Louisiana Posts:2,533 Points:623,035 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 6:41:34 AM Ignore fxb1 Report Abuse stay with nuclear