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Japan's Future -- Fossil or Nuclear?

Forbes -- How will Japan meet its energy demands in the next two decades? There are two short-term choices: 1) decommission all nuclear plants and replace them with new fossil fuel plants, or 2) restart the nuclear fleet and upgrade their capacity to replace the lost capacity of the Fukushima plants. There are some variations on these two, e.g., shut down only the oldest plants (twelve pre-date 1980), build a few new gas plants, or adjust the particular mix of coal versus gas, but the economic and environmental costs of these two paths are vastly different.

Japan had planned to increase renewables, increase energy efficiency and replace old nuclear plants with new ones, but this is now shelved in the aftermath of the tsunami. The problem is that Japan has no significant energy resources.

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Submitted Jul 30, 2012 By: Mudsprings

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,632 Points:1,610,495 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 2, 2012 5:57:42 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse reduce, reuse, recycle and waste less overall.
remay Champion Author Houston Posts:6,968 Points:2,118,365 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 6:40:58 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse Hmmmm ... title of the post is certainly DIFFERENT than the article! "Japan Would Be Crazy Not To Refocus On Nuclear"
LilRedWagonIN Champion Author Indiana Posts:7,781 Points:1,556,110 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 12:32:21 AM Ignore LilRedWagonIN Report Abuse Make a decision or they won't have a future.
Tacodan Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:2,331 Points:655,185 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 10:20:26 PM Ignore Tacodan Report Abuse nuk
Night Owl Champion Author Toronto Posts:7,560 Points:1,788,550 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:17:23 PM Ignore Night Owl Report Abuse TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) has proven time and again that they can't be trusted.
SkooterG Champion Author Phoenix Posts:1,359 Points:329,335 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 2:39:40 PM Ignore SkooterG Report Abuse Excellent article.
bigt61 All-Star Author Virginia Posts:654 Points:203,255 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 11:32:49 AM Ignore bigt61 Report Abuse Nukes are cheap, clean and safe. Fukushima was a one off occurrence - an old plant that should have been retired located in an extremely dangerous place. How many deaths from Fukushima? Zero. How many people die from natural gas explosions in their homes every year? Plenty - but we think nothing of using natural gas everywhere. Rooftop solar is more dangerous than nukes. Deaths by Energy Source "Last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster has not led to any deaths or illnesses from radiation so far, but has caused social and psychological problems, UN radiation experts say. Cancer rates will not rise significantly in Japan, according to interim findings by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). "The add-on effect of this radiation will be low and will not be observable scientifically," said Wolfgang Weiss, the German government radiation expert who heads the panel of scientists."
miser73 Champion Author Gary Posts:1,188 Points:242,315 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 11:00:22 AM Ignore miser73 Report Abuse They need to apply the lessons learned from Fukushima to tsunami-proof the rest of their nukes.
AlienBug All-Star Author Connecticut Posts:732 Points:218,035 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 9:59:43 AM Ignore AlienBug Report Abuse Nuclear is the way to go.
GetMaxCashBack Veteran Author Trenton Posts:386 Points:164,925 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 9:54:10 AM Ignore GetMaxCashBack Report Abuse Nuclear seems to be the best option for Japan.
sljbc475 Champion Author Tucson Posts:4,225 Points:873,350 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 8:46:10 AM Ignore sljbc475 Report Abuse Several alternatives, but nuclear could still be safe.
chemist74 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:13,510 Points:2,395,980 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 8:03:34 AM Ignore chemist74 Report Abuse Solar and wind could provide only a small part of Japan's energy needs. Since Japan needs to import essentially all their carbon-based energy, nuclear is just about the only logical source of base-load power.
photobuddy Champion Author Washington Posts:1,620 Points:370,255 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 8:02:21 AM Ignore photobuddy Report Abuse It look as if the choice that Japan makes will affect us all. I hope the future does not include an increase of fossil fuels. Lets keep this rock we live on cool.
Sam1004 Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:1,045 Points:348,385 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 8:01:30 AM Ignore Sam1004 Report Abuse There has to be an answer for all of us..............
Beau2140 Champion Author New York Posts:8,301 Points:1,658,135 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 8:00:08 AM Ignore Beau2140 Report Abuse A decision I don't have to make.
Marson Champion Author Scranton Posts:8,952 Points:2,079,135 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:57:39 AM Ignore Marson Report Abuse Must be some safe modern nuclear.
badbonita Champion Author Syracuse Posts:6,229 Points:1,354,685 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:56:06 AM Ignore badbonita Report Abuse Rock, mean hard place. There is no easy answer for this situation.
WinderGuy Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,874 Points:933,580 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:53:24 AM Ignore WinderGuy Report Abuse ok
GasholeMI Champion Author Lansing Posts:10,144 Points:1,719,265 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:52:05 AM Ignore GasholeMI Report Abuse That is a pickle for them.
fireless1 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:2,172 Points:539,740 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:52:00 AM Ignore fireless1 Report Abuse ok
pnd1 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:5,201 Points:1,065,110 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:51:46 AM Ignore pnd1 Report Abuse Why do I care?
alwaysridin88 Champion Author Ohio Posts:1,451 Points:566,700 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:51:30 AM Ignore alwaysridin88 Report Abuse Ok
maxcap59 Champion Author Texas Posts:2,776 Points:594,970 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:50:51 AM Ignore maxcap59 Report Abuse Maybe the EPA should go bother Japan for a while, and give this country a break. We could sure do without them.
rippinusoff Champion Author Lexington Posts:7,408 Points:1,488,750 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:50:41 AM Ignore rippinusoff Report Abuse ok
skybiker Champion Author South Carolina Posts:7,297 Points:1,560,265 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:50:29 AM Ignore skybiker Report Abuse Don't care....
biza4u Champion Author New Haven Posts:8,523 Points:1,627,900 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:50:15 AM Ignore biza4u Report Abuse Nukes
mk9999 Champion Author Rochester Posts:7,920 Points:1,674,820 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:49:56 AM Ignore mk9999 Report Abuse We need solar and wind power.
gws2980 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:2,186 Points:502,090 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:49:35 AM Ignore gws2980 Report Abuse Build nuclear that run on old rods that still have active energy. Thare are plenty of them that we don't know what to do with them.
taxiken Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:5,950 Points:1,547,725 Joined:Feb 2003	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:49:24 AM Ignore taxiken Report Abuse ?
QualTekGuy Champion Author Illinois Posts:3,071 Points:734,825 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:49:02 AM Ignore QualTekGuy Report Abuse Don't tell Barrack that they are going to go to fossil fuels.
Gas_Buzzer Champion Author South Carolina Posts:14,161 Points:2,594,365 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:48:57 AM Ignore Gas_Buzzer Report Abuse Who cares anyway? That's Japan's problem. We have our own problem...it's Barry "Big Ears" (Big Liar) Hussein Obammie.
paty2k Champion Author Florida Posts:1,603 Points:275,060 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:48:44 AM Ignore paty2k Report Abuse How will we??
teegeesp All-Star Author Madison Posts:880 Points:600,000 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:48:29 AM Ignore teegeesp Report Abuse ok
Beardog1FL All-Star Author Florida Posts:940 Points:667,500 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:48:25 AM Ignore Beardog1FL Report Abuse Do away with outdated plants.
WVUtailgater Champion Author Cleveland Posts:8,441 Points:1,699,660 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:47:31 AM Ignore WVUtailgater Report Abuse does it really matter
hubcapLA Champion Author Louisiana Posts:3,905 Points:940,435 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:46:53 AM Ignore hubcapLA Report Abuse And how does this affect our gas prices?
billk44077 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:3,182 Points:632,530 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:46:12 AM Ignore billk44077 Report Abuse oK
lpatti1 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:10,206 Points:1,964,235 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:46:05 AM Ignore lpatti1 Report Abuse Who cres!
Tnerbeel Champion Author Houston Posts:8,830 Points:1,749,810 Joined:Mar 2007	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:45:41 AM Ignore Tnerbeel Report Abuse Nuclear is a very dirty energy choice.
YodaON Champion Author Ottawa Posts:2,937 Points:781,010 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:45:24 AM Ignore YodaON Report Abuse as long as there are no more earthquakes
stpetebp Champion Author Tampa Posts:6,227 Points:1,733,555 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:45:18 AM Ignore stpetebp Report Abuse Neither
mrpc90 Champion Author Illinois Posts:8,152 Points:1,928,190 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:45:03 AM Ignore mrpc90 Report Abuse How about not building future nuclear plants in an area that could be threatened with a tsunami?
arinkrat17 Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:6,294 Points:1,332,450 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:44:44 AM Ignore arinkrat17 Report Abuse which ever is safer and cheaper
Yankee829 Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,211 Points:560,565 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:44:41 AM Ignore Yankee829 Report Abuse Ok
HelenT Champion Author Buffalo Posts:2,959 Points:599,125 Joined:Apr 2004	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:44:36 AM Ignore HelenT Report Abuse ....
NDQ Champion Author Maryland Posts:1,991 Points:390,380 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:44:16 AM Ignore NDQ Report Abuse ok
kjSC Champion Author South Carolina Posts:3,377 Points:681,375 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:44:00 AM Ignore kjSC Report Abuse Interesting article.
wingryder92 Champion Author British Columbia Posts:5,687 Points:559,955 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:43:37 AM Ignore wingryder92 Report Abuse Nuke plants on higher ground sounds great but let's not forget the Country is on earthquake prone islands.
4bobux Champion Author Peoria Posts:1,962 Points:409,230 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:42:56 AM Ignore 4bobux Report Abuse Where's Godzilla when you need him?
fxb1 Champion Author Louisiana Posts:2,533 Points:606,235 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 30, 2012 7:41:34 AM Ignore fxb1 Report Abuse stay with nuclear