• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Podcast
  • Archives

Atomic Insights

Atomic energy technology, politics, and perceptions from a nuclear energy insider who served as a US nuclear submarine engineer officer

Atomic Show #202 – Atomic Earth Day 2013

April 22, 2013 By Rod Adams

Many nuclear professionals have been attracted to the technology because of its inherently light footprint when compared to all other alternative power sources. It uses less land, less metal, less concrete, and a tiny volume of fuel when compared to producing a similar quantity of energy from other sources of reliable power, especially when the fuel extraction and delivery lifecycle is included.

Unfortunately, the established Environmental Movement turned away from nuclear energy during a transitional period in the late 1960s and early 1970s when they were convinced by key leaders that atomic energy was something to fear and fight. Before that period, conservation groups like the Sierra Club recognized that it was better for the land that they loved to produce power with “Atoms, not Dams”. During that campaign, Sierra supported nuclear energy as a better alternative than filling up a pristine valley full of water as part of the Hetch Hetchy hydroelectric power project.

Guests on this show include:

Margaret Harding, an independent consultant with 30 years of BWR fuel design experience. Margaret blogs at 4 Factor Consulting and writes a column for Fuel Cycle Week.
Will Davis, a former submarine reactor operator who blogs at Atomic Power Review and ANS Nuclear Cafe and also writes a column for Fuel Cycle Week
Meredith Angwin, who blogs at Yes Vermont Yankee and ANS Nuclear Cafe and recently published an eBook titled Voices For Vermont Yankee.
Steve Aplin, who blogs at Canadian Energy Issues

We all remain convinced that emission free power from an incredibly energy dense fuel sources is better for the environment than producing that power by burning hydrocarbons and dumping the waste product. We also believe that it is better for many of the things that true conversationists and environmentalist hold dear to produce power from reliable, compact machinery than to attempt to capture natural energy flows using inherently large machinery that is often idle and doing nothing except being a blight on formerly scenic vistas.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/AtomicShowFiles/atomic_20130422_202.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:26 — 32.8MB)

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

Filed Under: Alternative energy, Energy density, Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy, Podcast

About Rod Adams

Rod Adams is an atomic energy expert with small nuclear plant operating and design experience, now serving as a Managing Partner at Nucleation Capital, an emerging climate-focused fund. Rod, a former submarine Engineer Officer and founder of Adams Atomic Engines, Inc., one of the earliest advanced nuclear ventures, has engaged in technical, strategic, political, historic and financial discussion and analysis of the nuclear industry, its technology and policies for several decades. He is the founder of Atomic Insights and host and producer of The Atomic Show Podcast.

Please click here to subscribe to the Atomic Show RSS feed.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Robert Margolis says

    April 24, 2013 at 10:08 AM

    A good summary on the dispute between David Brower and Ansel Adams regarding Diablo Canyon can be found in Adams’ biography. Ansel Adams was an advocate for nuclear energy. David Brower eventually left FOE to form the Earth Island Institute. He became quite the deep ecology spokesperson.

  2. Andrew Peter says

    April 24, 2013 at 2:24 PM

    Instead of resembling an industrial site, could a new reactor “farm” (multiple small, modular units) be designed as a “lifestyle park”, with lush landscaping, gardens, orchards (irrigated with pruified water) hiking/biking trails, climbing rocks, waterfalls, wildlife preserve, etc.? Wouldn’t this approach serve to quiet at least some of the NIMBY’S? Wouldn’t this approach also serve to show just how healthy living in close proximity to atomic power can be?

    • Rod Adams says

      April 24, 2013 at 8:54 PM

      @Andrew Peter

      You mean like the old Cuttler plant where FP&L held its annual company picnics?

      Funny you should ask. There are quite a few attractively sited nuclear plants in operation in the US already. Calvert Cliffs in Maryland, River Bend in Louisiana, or Diablo Canyon in California all come to mind. Unfortunately, the sites have restricted access based on the silly notion that people flying airplanes into large buildings means that one should keep people away from nuclear power stations.

      We are working hard to design a less intrusive power plant but we are still required to surround it with high security barriers that are not especially attractive..

Primary Sidebar

Categories

Join Rod’s pronuclear network

Join Rod's pronuclear network by completing this form. Let us know what your specific interests are.

Recent Comments

  • David on Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked
  • Rod Adams on Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked
  • David on Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked
  • Rod Adams on Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked
  • paul wick on Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked

Follow Atomic Insights

The Atomic Show

Atomic Insights

Recent Posts

Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked

Nuclear energy growth prospects and secure uranium supplies

Nucleation Capital’s Earth Day in Atherton

Atomic Show #296 – Julia Pyke, Director of Finance Sizewell C

Solar’s dirty secrets: How solar power hurts people and the planet

  • Home
  • About Atomic Insights
  • Atomic Show
  • Contact
  • Links

Search Atomic Insights

Archives

Copyright © 2022 · Atomic Insights

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy