by Dezakin » Fri 24 Jun 2005, 18:22:03
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')ctually nuclear fission could only maintain output for 40 years or so unless you use breeder reactors.
Huh. Once a week theres someone who believes this. Actually theres enough nuclear fuel to supply global consumption at current levels for hundreds of millions of years, and we can illustrate the numbers quite clearly. The number you are currently citing is from current uranium mines using the once through fuel cycle, without opening any other uranium mines at all. This tired statistic has often been misrepresented to either fuel breeder reactor development or to illustrate nuclear power as unviable.
Even with the once through fuel cycle, uranium reserves in current mines are a function of price, and nuclear power is very insensitive to fuel price. A doubling of the fuel price is estimated to multiply uranium reserves by 10, and even then its cheap as dirt. I'm not sure whether breeder reactors will ever take off because I'm not sure uranium will ever be expensive enough to justify their development.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')ut can you use that nuclear power to make petrochemicals?
Yes, of course.