A study commissioned by the German government has recommended an extension of up to 20 years to the life nuclear power plants, according to reports. The government faces resistance if it presses ahead. Experts from Germany's Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (EWI) were asked to give their advice to the government on a range of scenarios about extending the operational lifetimes of plants by 4, 12, 20 and 28 years. The study recommended that nuclear power plants should be kept open for between 12 and 20 years more than currently planned, the German news magazine Focus reported Saturday. A number of studies, many of which have come to different conclusions, have been recently issued by think-tanks and environmental organizations.
Experts from Germany's Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (EWI) were asked to give their advice to the government on a range of scenarios about extending the operational lifetimes of plants by 4, 12, 20 and 28 years.
The study recommended that nuclear power plants should be kept open for between 12 and 20 years more than currently planned, the German news magazine Focus reported Saturday.
A number of studies, many of which have come to different conclusions, have been recently issued by think-tanks and environmental organizations.
A new report has outlined why ending the use of nuclear energy matters for the development of renewable energy infrastructure. Its sponsors say the nuclear power fight is post-war Germany's largest-ever economic dispute. In the midst of an ongoing debate over whether to extend the lifespan of Germany's 17 nuclear power plants, a new report has revealed that the continued availability of nuclear power would likely cause a decrease in investment into renewable energies. Increases in wind and solar energy capacities will eventually lead to nuclear power plants being used less, the report states. The reason: energy from renewable sources enjoys legal priority over nuclear and coal power. It is fed into the grid before electricity from non-renewable sources. As the capacity of electricity from wind or solar sources increases, conventional electricity sources will only be needed to fill in gaps when there is a lack of wind or sun. But it takes about 50 hours to restart a nuclear power plant that has been completely shut down, meaning it would be necessary to keep the plant running at 50 or 60 percent capacity. Gas powered turbines, however, can be turned on within 20 minutes and can also be run on biogas. Other possibilities to bridge fluctuations in renewable electricity output include the decentralized approach of using micro-power stations or accessing the batteries of electric cars.
In the midst of an ongoing debate over whether to extend the lifespan of Germany's 17 nuclear power plants, a new report has revealed that the continued availability of nuclear power would likely cause a decrease in investment into renewable energies.
Increases in wind and solar energy capacities will eventually lead to nuclear power plants being used less, the report states. The reason: energy from renewable sources enjoys legal priority over nuclear and coal power. It is fed into the grid before electricity from non-renewable sources.
As the capacity of electricity from wind or solar sources increases, conventional electricity sources will only be needed to fill in gaps when there is a lack of wind or sun. But it takes about 50 hours to restart a nuclear power plant that has been completely shut down, meaning it would be necessary to keep the plant running at 50 or 60 percent capacity.
Gas powered turbines, however, can be turned on within 20 minutes and can also be run on biogas. Other possibilities to bridge fluctuations in renewable electricity output include the decentralized approach of using micro-power stations or accessing the batteries of electric cars.
So I imagine that somebody helpfully wrapped all this up to provide the most helpful pro-nuclear spin where, and I know you disagree with this, nuclear vs DFH-energy is a zero-sum game. So there will always be an element of punch-a-hippy about such things. keep to the Fen Causeway
