nuclear Australia

A few days ago the Californians announced they will build the world's largest solar energy plants. The two plants will produce a total of 800 megawatts comparable to a decent sized coal or nuclear power station. Being solar they will be sustainable and produce none of those C02 emissions that Penny Wong doesn't like. That's the good news. The bad news is that 800 megawatts is only available for a few hours a day most of the time it will be far less. Also they are only being built because of a government mandate and the really big drawback they take up 12.5 square miles of land!

The fact is neither solar or wind can operate in the real world without conventional base-load power stations. When the sun don't shine or the wind don't blow you got to turn on the real stuff. That means burning some type of hydrocarbon or a nuke. Which brings me to Liberal frontbencher Ian Macfarlane, whose giving a pro nuke speech tonight.:

Liberal frontbencher Ian Macfarlane opened the latest round of the radioactive debate when he talked up "yellowcake'' in a speech.

"It's a black and white answer. Or should I say a black, green and yellow answer,'' he said in the speech, to be delivered in Brisbane tonight.

"Clean coal, renewables and yellowcake - we must include nuclear in our future baseload clean energy mix.''

Brendan Nelson seems to be supportive too:

Liberal leader Brendan Nelson backed Mr Macfarlane's fresh nuclear push, saying he had "a very strong argument''.

"Our view is that there needs to be consideration in Australia given to the development of a nuclear power industry,'' Dr Nelson said.

"We need more rational discussion about nuclear power in Australia and much less of the emotive, political debate we've had in the last few years.''

The Liberals are not the only people supporting a local nuclear industry either. Former Labor Premier Bob Carr and unionist Paul Howes have come out in support recently so has Bob Hawke.

You can bet we will hear more about this debate in the coming months.