Why I changed my mind about nuclear power – Michael Schellenbeger
October 14, 2020
For those who have not had time to read his book, here’s the video of his TED talk three years ago, “Why I changed my mind about nuclear power”
Clearly his disillusionment with renewable energy has been a long time coming:
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NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT 
Well, given the significant differences which exist between tried and tested…credible conventional and untired and when tested…incredible renewables it it is not rocket science to understand what works and ticks all the boxes and what, if you are honest ticks none of them.
The lack of empirical rigor and honesty with numbers across a range of disciplines associated with Climate cult is something I consider to be not a random occurrence. All of science and incredibly mathematics is currently under serious threat from those allowed too much room to spread their poisonous revolutionary nonsense, im this case that science and specifically mathematics fantastically are “racist” and therefore not needed anymore.
Any coincidence that also the scientific method is being not just abused but openly ignored by those in the pay of the Climate Mafia? Empirical Data based Facts are trumped by feeling and salary focussed baseless opinions. The bottom line is that none of this garbage can be justified IF the correct checks applied to all other decision making in both science and real life are applied.
The question is, we should be asking why they do not apply to the climate cult outpourings?
It would be interesting to construct a set of questions for Schellenberger to answer, specifically what drove his opinion and what made him then, after some period of time to question that opinion. Did he have doubts a lot earlier and if so what prevented him from speaking out then?
I think he was initially disturbed by raptor deaths associated with wind turbines, and solar farms near some of his favorite desert country.
I would GUESS, and only guess, that with those issues gnawing at him he investigated the reality of the Great Turbine Hoax and then looked at other “renewables”.
This likely led to the logical -and really the only reasonable – conclusion.
Good comment, I have been attacked for saying similar by some describing themselves as “engineers”. Pillorying me for ignorance of facets concerning bird mincers and PV arrays. Well we can go into the whys and wherefores till we are blue and green daft, but it is all dancing on pin heads. To wit, I cannot get it through their enormously obtuse craniums. Engineer or not, if the basic premise is cracked (man made warming), and thus everything which follows is then compounding the original error, no matter how well engineered it be, and then the elliptical arguments and justification for unsustainable ruinables (gween energy) descends into utter farce.
And as you say, what got Michael Schellenbeger – to where he was before he travelled on the road to Damascus? Would we not shudder at the answer!
i watched a similar clip of his a couple years ago. Disagree on ACC/AGW views but at least he’s not an idiot. To think, with a world approaching 10 billion people that there’s any other presently existing energy technology other than nuclear, regardless of CO2 consideration, that’s going to meet even survival-level demand is just… naieve to say the least.
I think it was Matt Ridley (not sure) that wrote that a person with pencil and paper, and a few facts, in half an hour could show that unreliable energy facilities cannot support electrical needs. This negative result gets worse as places try to eliminate carbon based fuels (think EVs and heat pumps), and extend reliable electricity to those in the world that do not now have it.
Why “it has been a long time coming” is because “climate cult” became a religion-like establishment.
We need the modern equivalent of Martin Luther posting the Ninety-Five Theses on the door of All Saints’ Church (if he really did). Schellenbeger and a TED Talk is not up to that level. Neither is Patrick Moore, ex-Greenpeace. Still looking.
Fossil-derived fuels and associated equipment deliver the goods whereas “renewables” fail.
The Greta Thunberg-type wails are neither realistic nor against any proven threat, just a speculation, as in the decarbonisation madness: no evidence of any efficacy against what is a naturally fluctuating climate, as since aeons past.
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Group think underlies “zero carbon”, which can not as well as need not be afforded
Anyway, most nations ignore the false threats, which emplify H.L. Menckens warnings!
Let’s remember that one of the founders of this hysteria was Sir John Houghton – head of the Met Office, first Chairman of the IPCC, lead author of the First Assessment Report and fervent methodist – told us wirth certainty that global warming (or climate change, if you like) is a message from God to change our ways. So forget carbon dioxide, lets just be good girls and boys and it will all go away. Its NONSENSE.
The shellenberger book is very good and realistic. Like Michael Moore he recognised that renwables were not the answer and recognised nuclear as the only alternative to fossil fuels
Zion lights resigned as spokesperson for extinction rebellion when she recognised the XR renewables mantra was not realistic and also now speaks in favour of renewables
Isn’t Zion Lights a spokesperson for Nuclear rather than renewables?
I like to think that her interview with Andrew Neil was in part responsible for the road to Damascus conversion
I think that’s what Tony meant
Re previous chain I have found it impossible to access the Matt Ridley blog. Can anyone help?
http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/ should get you there.
Yes it did. Thanks Mike.
Timing is everything! Well done Boris!
‘Lack of wind sparks National Grid energy alert’
The electricity system operator said “unusually low wind output” had eaten into its spare capacity. The operator of Britain’s electricity network warned late on Wednesday afternoon that low wind levels had forced it to search for emergency sources of power…..
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/10/14/lack-wind-sparks-national-grid-energy-alert/?li_source=LI&li_medium=liftigniter-rhr
I’m glad he’s made the effort to understand these issues but what he illustrates is that most Greenies and campaigners do not. They have their simplistic view of the world, see themselves as righteous and refuse to listen to any criticism. It is the monomania of faith.
I missed these updates on delays to new interconnectors to France
https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/2128970-ukfrance-ifa-2-power-auctions-delayed-further-update#:~:text=Meanwhile%2C%20Eleclink%20owner%20Getlink%20said,the%20Intergovernmental%20Commission%20(IGC).
IFA 2 was originally supposed to start last January. Eleclink via the Channel Tunnel is already pushed back to 2022, and it appears has yet to secure agreement from Eurotunnel to actually use the tunnel at all. Still, one wonders what these interconnectors are for when we get National Grid panicking about insufficient generation before we even get to winter proper.
https://mobile.twitter.com/ng_eso/status/1316398489363001344
At present GB is exporting to Ireland and even a small amount to Belgium, with only the coal fired BritNed connector providing much support. Our own coal is back in operation. Probably just as well those interconnectors are delayed. Imagine providing 1GW apiece to Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands, plus another 4GW to France in a cold winter snap. Or the price we would have to pay not to export.