Why Germany won’t keep its nuclear plants open

Re:Why Germany won’t keep its nuclear plants open by akvadrako on Friday April 15, 2022 @04:18AM (#31037735)

There is enough Uranium in the Earth's crust to power the whole planet for about 92 million years.

  - 65e15 kg = Uranium in Earth's crust
  - 709000 MJ/kg = energy density of natural U²
  - 500e12 MJ = 500 million TJ annual global energy usage
  - 92e6 = 65e15 × 709e3 / 500e12

It's actually very common and it's only a small cost component anyway. Including all processing, it accounts for less than one cent per kWh.

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Re:Why Germany won’t keep its nuclear plants open by kdbeall_ on Friday April 15, 2022 @02:28PM (#31043854)

These are both pretty bad takes. We as a civilization do not mine the crust for uranium. We mine high-grade ore deposits. I think with our current resources and technologies we could sustain demand for about 100 years.

Nuclear energy is used at scale. Nuclear energy supplies ~70% of French electricity production.

What's more important is the development of nuclear technology. Not all uranium is used in current reactors. The majority of uranium is U238. If breeder reactors were developed, our existing resources could be utilized far more effectively.

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Re:Why Germany won’t keep its nuclear plants open by freemint on Friday April 15, 2022 @10:56AM (#31040953)

Let's keep it down there in case we need it if we are flung out of the solar system or something like that. The sun will not send us a bill.

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