Reviewing business and academic literature, there is a strong movement to present nuclear energy as the savior from what they classify as dirty fossil fuels
A recent article from the British website OilPrice.com noted that oil drilling and processing accounts for 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions globally.
The article goes on to say that since oil drilling and refining often take place in remote locations, they do not use energy from the electric grid.
There is a possible use for microreactors or small module reactors which might help the oil industry reduce emissions.
However, the article points out that this technology is still in its early stages and has not yet demonstrated its benefits.
Implementing nuclear energy to replace fossil fuels may be in trouble when a leading proponent of green energy expresses detailed reservations.
Stanford University professor Mark Z. Jacobson is the author of the paper “Seven Reasons Why Nuclear Energy is not the Answer to Solve Climate Change.“
Those reasons include: long time between planning and operation, cost, weapons and proliferation risk, meltdown risk, mining cancer risk, waste risk and carbon-equivalent emissions.
Professor Jacobson’s research found that the range of time from planning a nuclear reactor to seeing it operational is 10 to 19 years.
As for threats of weapons buildup, he notes, “The building of a nuclear reactor for energy in a country that does not currently have a reactor allows the country to import uranium for use in the nuclear energy facility.
“If the country so chooses, it can secretly enrich the uranium to create weapons grade uranium and harvest plutonium from uranium fuel rods for use in nuclear weapons.”
He also showed that uranium miners have a history of higher-than-usual cancer rates.
He notes that this does not happen with those who work with wind power or other forms of energy.
While the left continues its drumbeat for green fuels, it does not consider the benefits fossil fuels on the economy.
A new report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis concludes that Gross Domestic Products grew 2.3% mainly due to states with strong mining sectors.
According to Peter Earle, economist at the American Institute for Economic Research:
“The current administration has attempted to revitalize manufacturing while disincentivizing fossil fuels in favor of green and other alternative energy sources.
“It has accomplished essentially the opposite. Mining and drilling states, including North Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, and Alaska, contributed most to U.S. economic growth in 2023, while the rust belt states are remaining mostly rusty: Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan grew by a fraction of what the oil and gas producing states did in 2023.”
“Domestic fossil fuel production is keeping consumer prices down and contributing to U.S. employment,” Mr. Earle said.
“Unfortunately, the official jawboning against fossil fuels — while it substantially contributes to the U.S. economy — allows proponents of unproven, unprofitable energy technologies to maintain the façade that solar and wind energy are seamless, direct substitutes for liquid dinosaurs.
“It’s not, and perhaps never will be, the case.”
No matter the actions of the Biden administration against fossil fuels, they are an energy source proving their strength and value, even their necessity, time and again.
People can agree on the need to reduce greenhouse gases and to be more energy conscious.
However, moving to eradicate fossil fuels, an important sector of the economy and vital for everyday life, and replacing it with nuclear energy makes little sense.
There is no reason these forms of energy cannot work side by side for society’s good.
Craig Shirley is the Chairman of Citizens for the Republic, as well as a Ronald Reagan biographer and presidential historian having written six books on Reagan. He’s also written The New York Times bestseller, “December, 1941” and also published the companion book, “April, 1945.” He’s also the author of the book “Mary Ball Washington,” which won the People’s Choice Award from the Library of Virginia. His book on the 1980 presidential campaign, “Rendezvous with Destiny” was named by The Wall Street Journal as one of the five best campaign books of all time. Shirley is also the author of the newly released bestseller, “The Search for Reagan” and is now writing a book about the 2024 Trump campaign tentatively entitled, “Comeback.” Read Craig Shirley’s Reports — More Here.
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