{"id":266776,"date":"2023-07-11T14:33:07","date_gmt":"2023-07-11T12:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=266776"},"modified":"2023-07-11T14:33:10","modified_gmt":"2023-07-11T12:33:10","slug":"energy-sos-means-smrs-small-modular-reactors-offer-permanent-power-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=266776","title":{"rendered":"Energy SOS Means SMRs: Small Modular Reactors Offer Permanent Power\u00a0Solution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From STOP THESE THINGS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
190306-N-N0101-125\rWASHINGTON (March 6, 2019) An artist rendering of the future Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines. The 12 submarines of the Columbia class are a shipbuilding priority and will replace the Ohio-class submarines reaching maximum extended service life. The Columbia-class Program Executive Office is on track to begin construction with USS Columbia (SSBN 826) in fiscal year 2021, deliver in fiscal year 2028, and on patrol in 2031. (U.S. Navy illustration\/Released)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

SMRs are no right-wing fantasy: 200 small nuclear reactors are presently powering\u00a0160 ships and submarines<\/a>\u00a0all around the world, and have been for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STT promotes nuclear power because it works: safe, affordable, reliable and the perfect foil for those worried about human-generated carbon dioxide gas \u2013 because it doesn\u2019t generate any, while generating power on demand, irrespective of the weather \u2013 unlike the forever unreliables: wind and solar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australia\u2019s maniacal obsession with wind and solar has just delivered\u00a0a 25-30% hike in retail power prices<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 that crushing impost sits\u00a0on top of increases of between 10-20%<\/a>\u00a0in retail power prices that have taken effect throughout the financial year. Which means that many households and businesses will see a 50% jump in their power bills in less than 12 months. And that follows double-digit percentage increases in retail power bills every year since the Green-Labor Alliance ramped up the Federal government\u2019s Renewable Energy Target back in 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At a time when Europeans are crab walking away from their subsidised wind and solar catastrophes, Australia has doubled down. The Swedes have\u00a0ditched their policy of trying to rely on wind and solar, plumping for new nuclear power<\/a>, instead. And the French\u00a0are demanding a rapid uptake of nuclear power across Europe.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in Australia \u2013\u00a0with its idiotic, 25-year-old ban on nuclear power generation<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 the sensible response to their self-inflicted energy woes seen in Europe fails to register, with the solution to Australia\u2019s power pricing and supply calamity hiding in plain sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The leader of the Federal Opposition, Peter Dutton is, thankfully, not so blind that he cannot see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As reported in The Australian, Dutton has hitched his party\u2019s wagon to a nuclear-powered future. And about time, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Peter Dutton: turn coal-powered plants to nuclear<\/strong>
The Australian
Simon Benson
7 July 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Peter Dutton has proposed converting old coal-fired power sites into locations for small-scale nuclear plants as part of the Coalition\u2019s future energy plan as the Opposition Leader launches his most strident attack yet on the \u201crenewable zealotry\u201d of the Albanese government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a speech to the Institute of Public Affairs on Friday morning, the Liberal leader will double down on the party\u2019s plans to pursue nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels, claiming the \u201crenewables only\u201d agenda was \u201cfanciful\u201d and putting the nation at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Dutton will suggest the site of the decommissioned Liddell Power Station, in the NSW Hunter Valley, was an example of where a small modular nuclear reactor that could power 300,000 homes alone could be located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Albanese government has rubbished his proposals for nuclear power bases, arguing they would be too costly, and has previously challenged Mr Dutton to nominate where they would be located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BHP has also argued for Australia to remove prohibitions on nuclear energy, arguing it could help achieve the 2030 and 2050 climate change targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an attack on the environmental credentials of the renewable energy industry, Mr Dutton will say while renewables were necessary, the pursuit of wind, solar and batteries alone would not solve the energy problem he says has catapulted Australia\u2019s domestic energy to among the highest-priced in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has also linked the need for nuclear energy to national security, claiming renewables alone would leave the nation vulnerable, outlining three pillars for the Coalition energy policy based on clean power, cost-effective power and consistent power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf the government wants to stop coal-fired power and phase out gas-fired power, the only feasible and proven technology which can firm up renewables and help us achieve the goals of clean, cost-effective and consistent power is next-generation nuclear technologies, which are safe and emit zero emissions,\u201d Mr Dutton will say in the speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNamely, small modular reactors or \u2018SMRs\u2019. And microreactors or micro modular reactors \u2013 \u2018MMRs\u2019 \u2013 which are also known as \u2018nuclear batteries\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA single SMR can power 300,000 homes. A microreactor could power a hospital, a factory, a mining site or a military base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChris Bowen has burrowed so deeply down the renewable rabbit hole that he refuses to consider these new nuclear technologies as part of the solution to our energy problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the Energy Minister\u2019s eyes, he sees nuclear and renewables as competitors. Whereas we need to see them as companions. New nuclear technologies can be plugged into existing grids and work immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Dutton identified Liddell Power Station, claiming an SMR needed only about 18 hectares of land. Liddell, he said, occupied about 100 hectares. \u201cWe could convert or repurpose coal-fired plants and use the transmission connections which already exist on those sites,\u201d he will say. \u201cIt\u2019s no wonder more than 50 countries are exploring or investing in new SMRs and nuclear batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnergy security is a primary reason why Australia must consider new nuclear technologies as part of the energy mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe government has committed to building nuclear-powered submarines in Australia under AUKUS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe submarines are essentially floating SMRs. The most modern reactors in the submarines in operation today don\u2019t need to be refuelled for 30 years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In remarks likely to ignite a fierce response from the renewables industry, Mr Dutton also questioned the environmental benefit of building 58 million solar panels and 3500 wind turbines he claims would be needed to reach the government\u2019s 2030 clean energy targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, we all understand the need to invest in the development of renewables and the important role they play in the energy mix,\u201d Mr Dutton said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut the government is not being technologically agnostic or objective. On the contrary, its \u2018renewables only\u2019 mentality \u2013 its renewable zealotry \u2013 is putting our nation at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Albanese government is recklessly rushing to renewables and switching off the old system before the new one is ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe hear too from the \u2018renewables only\u2019 campaigners that they are better for the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy 2050, the plan includes carpeting our landscape with 28,000 kilometres of new transmission poles and wires \u2013 the equivalent of almost the entire coastline of mainland Australia \u2013 at a cost of more than $100bn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPutting aside the fact that a rollout on this scale is fanciful \u2026 how on Earth is it environmentally friendly?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Dutton first flagged nuclear energy as part of the Coalition\u2019s energy plans in September 2022 and again in his budget reply speech in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But his speech to the IPA is the first to identify potential locations for the SMR reactors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nationals leader David Littleproud on Wednesday praised Mr Dutton for having the \u201ccourage\u201d to get the Liberal Party on board with a pro-nuclear position already held by the Nationals.
The Australian<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Peter Dutton has proposed converting old coal-fired power sites into locations for small-scale nuclear plants as part of the Coalition\u2019s future energy plan as the Opposition Leader launches his most strident attack yet on the \u201crenewable zealotry\u201d of the Albanese government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":266789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818216,691820984,691820436,691819275,691819694],"class_list":{"0":"post-266776","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-australia","9":"tag-energy-sos","10":"tag-green-labor-alliance","11":"tag-small-modular-reactors","12":"tag-smrs","14":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0NuScale-SMR.jpg?fit=1032%2C720&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-17oQ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":208432,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=208432","url_meta":{"origin":266776,"position":0},"title":"Wind & Solar Debacle Means It\u2019s Time to Bring Small Nuclear Reactors Onshore","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/14\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"190306-N-N0101-125 WASHINGTON (March 6, 2019) An artist rendering of the future Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines. The 12 submarines of the Columbia class are a shipbuilding priority and will replace the Ohio-class submarines reaching maximum extended service life. 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Abilene, a small town on the edge of the Permian Basin\u2014America\u2019s largest oil-producing region\u2014is now home to the first Small Modular Reactor (SMR) under construction in the United States. 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he also launched a competition, to be completed by the end of the year, which could lead to co-funding for small modular reactors (SMRs).","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0NuScale_Reactor_Building_SideA_Final-HIGH-RES.jpg?fit=1200%2C599&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0NuScale_Reactor_Building_SideA_Final-HIGH-RES.jpg?fit=1200%2C599&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0NuScale_Reactor_Building_SideA_Final-HIGH-RES.jpg?fit=1200%2C599&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0NuScale_Reactor_Building_SideA_Final-HIGH-RES.jpg?fit=1200%2C599&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0NuScale_Reactor_Building_SideA_Final-HIGH-RES.jpg?fit=1200%2C599&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266776","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=266776"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266776\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":266795,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266776\/revisions\/266795"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/266789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=266776"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=266776"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=266776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}