Nuclear energy just leaves too big a risk of accident or later cleanup. Coal does have fairly direct and negative effect on health, the insatiable need of the nuclear industry for subsidy, the future cleanup, and the risk ongoing, makes the German decision a good one. The worst effect of renewables is either business failure or visual blight – less of a problem than nuclear.

theres no commerical tide energy plant in operation.
at the moment its just like nuclear fission. an idea.

Cathal, do you know of the law of twelveths? Your 12mph tide does not run at that rate all day does it?

wishful thinking Cathal

maybe one day we will harness the power of the waves and tides.

Wind energy is the other one that has yet to be mastered… as fossil fuel power stations back them up burning as much resources that it makes no difference if the wind farm is there or not.

Your maths don’t make any sense whatsoever.

How is geothermal all natural? What about the energy used to run the pumps?

first off, the numbers are fact, secondly the energy used to power the pumps can be easily sourced from hydro or geothermal itself or any number or renewable energy sources

Burning coal and oil kill FAR more people every year than NP. Only about 60 people have died from NP.

There are experimental units in Galway Bay, Ryan Marine Institute development I think.

Yeah, let’s build it right in the middle of your garden. Besides, we’d still need to have enough ccgt or coal fire plants running full time for when the nuclear plant had to be taken off line – maintenance, emergencies etc. so what would be the point? Other countries get away with it because they have so many nuclear plants, we’re do small we’d need just one.

Besides, the interconnector is mainly aimed at bringing electricity from the esb’s station at carrington in the UK – when it opens in the next couple of years. All this talk of exporting excess to the uk isn’t a part of the esb’s plans. It’s only political waffling.

You can if you like, might get more for under a compulsory purchase order. The UK and Irelands energy policies should be closer aligned and the interconnect is a good start. Is your point against having it that you would need more than one or are you against the idea totally?

Seafra. Who said anything about building only one? Between the North and the South we will need about 6GW. One NP station is about 1GW. They only come off line every couple of years or so. Refuelling is now possible while the plant is running. France manages OK and has 80% of it’s electricity generated from NP. So can we. It is the ONLY solution in light of Climate Change.

If ALL your energy requirements came from Nuclear Power the total high level waste you would create in your lifetime would be the size of a bar of soap. It can be put back in the ground WHERE IT CAME FROM!