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In Brief

Snippets from the news

Posted at 5:53 PM on 30 Apr 2008

• Legislators forced to give up gas-guzzlers.

• Nuclear power will get dirtier, says report.

• Can new high-voltage cables help renewables beat back NIMBY?

• Large facility will open to turn landfill methane into fuel.

• Humane Society protests after sea lion dies.

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Nuclear power will get dirtier

All power, from any source, has to be "dirty."  The cleanest power is that which is easily produced, widely distributed, controllable (easily turned off and on at the point of use) and originates from an almost permanent source.  

Solar power seems to fulfill those conditions, but it is not constant and requires a huge land mass to collect energy, taking that land out of food and other production.  It also requires very extensive manufacturing of the equipment used.

Solving the limits to be overcome in the future for both sources - more efficient solar panels and regenerating nuclear "waste" in used uranium rods - is likely to happen, but re-using the expended rods in nuclear power is more efficient than replacing solar panels continuously.

But all in all, the key is in eliminating the internal combustion engine as quickly as we can.

Des Emery

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