Low-Carbon Power.org Blog

Why are we not talking about hydropower?

Jan 21, 2021
One of the major rifts in the environmental movement concerns what technology we should prioritize to speed up decarbonization efforts. One side advocates renewables - usually exemplified by solar and wind power. The other side believes the solution is nuclear energy. The pro-renewables camp often points to the strong growth of solar and wind in recent years, accompanied by decreasing cost. They also emphasize the perceived risks of nuclear power. The pro-nuclear people point out that solar and wind power is intermittent, forcing continued reliance on fossil fuels - coal or gas - when the sun doesn't shine, while nuclear power delivers base load power all the time. As to the risks of nuclear, they argue that these have been exaggerated in popular perceptions while data shows nuclear to be one of the safest sources of electricity. Read more.