On the (somewhat) positive side, Schlesinger is aware of peak oil and is big on energy security. More at  The Guardian and Washington Times.

Has anybody run across recent statements by Schlesinger on global warming? In the past, I know that global warming was not (ahem) one of Schlesinger's strong points. However the smarter Republicans are gradually signing on. Even Exxon now  agrees that global warming is real and it's mostly caused by human activity.  

Bart
Energy Bulletin

Exxon now agrees
that global warming is real
and it's mostly caused by human activity.

Looked around a little bit, but all I could find was that the first point.

_

Although incidentally I was able to find Kerry browbeating Gingrich into admitting Inhofe is way off base.
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/10/gingrich-kerry-inhofe ...

Stuart Staniford at The Oil Drum had more about Exxon's "change of heart" during a conference call for bloggers
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2245

As you note, GreyFlcn, this didn't get much coverage. It would be good to have it followed up.

Bart
Energy Bulletin

re: wacki
Whether you like it or not nuclear is going to play a very important role in our future.

It might.

Thats all assuming renewables don't reach a tipping point to be able to effectively provide baseload by 2015.

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Concentrating Solar Power, backed up by either molten salt, or biogas currently already makes a cost effective challenge to Nuclear.

Geothermal finally seems to be picking up, despite the GOP's attempts to kill it.
http://jcwinnie.biz/wordpress/?p=1206
http://www.insidegreentech.com/node/1001
http://www.rasertech.com/media/movies/html/well_to_wheels ...
http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=1723 ...
http://www.insidegreentech.com/node/965
http://www.rasertech.com/media/powerblog/2007/03/us-senat ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070406171041 ...

And the advancement of Direct Carbon Fuel Cells, and BioCharcoal offer the possibility to yield 10x the raw energy of cellulosic ethanol from the same biomass in electric form.
(Or at very worst 4x the energy if we just burn BioCharcoal in existing coal facilities)

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Not to mention, there's also always the spectre of Storage.

UltraCapacitors could come down in price, mixed with ANY inexepensive/reliable renewable.

Or we might just consider that we like pumped hydro all the sudden and solve it quick and simple.

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Frankly, I don't like Nuclear simply because:
It's Full Cost including subsidies and externalities is way too expensive
The externalities and liabilities make it an unsustainable tax burden
It's opportunity cost is way too high
With a buildup speed thats so slow, it'd need to get built recklessly fast to keep up with world demand.
We aren't far off from not needing it

Nevada might just as well take their current position on the waste by the supposed new opening data for Yucca Mountain in 2017.

Screw your waste and the horse it rode in on.  You made it?  You keep it.  We don't want it.

Besides which, even though the storage capacity of Yucca Mountain has more area to hold it.

DOE's already exceeded the ammount of waste agreed upon through the original legistlation.

Yucca Mountain has essentially closed operations for now waiting on legistlation from the GOP to attempt to forcefeed Nevada as much waste as it can carry.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2005/2005-11-09-01.asp ...

Not to mention, the water table fraud
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v434/n7032/full/4344 ...

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And nuclear isn't looking too rosy elsewhere.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/nuclear/article/0,2763,1479527, ...
http://www.newsradio88.com/pages/34718.php?contentType=4& ...
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/25/nuclear.plant/index.html ...
http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,430164,00.html ...
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyI ...

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Lastly, Harry Reid (D-NV), the Senate Majoriety Leader might toss a monkey wrench in things :)

Lol, more Yucca Mountain drama
http://www.kxnt.com/pages/220333.php?contentType=4&co ...

Like said, Nevada is none too happy about Yucca, and are going to fight against it every step of the way.

You have to admit, the doublespeak is funny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQMfPAsZqOM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KazdKO1IHlg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioy90nF2anI