Decouple
By Dr. Chris Keefer
DecoupleSep 18, 2020
Marcel Boiteux: Builder of the World's Greatest Nuclear Fleet
Marcel Boiteux, a shy economist who escaped occupied France to fight the Nazis before working out the theory of electricity pricing for newly-nationalized Electricite de France, rose to become the greatest builder of nuclear power the world has ever seen.
Mark Nelson, founder of Radiant Energy Group, explains what forces shaped his mind, his role in the fateful "War of the Nuclear Systems," how he prepared for the oil crisis that triggered the "all nuclear" Messmer plan, and how he survived an ecoterrorist attack to construct the famous nuclear fleet that now lies underused and underappreciated.
Can France rediscover its greatest engineering hero, who died last year at the age of 101, in time to rescue itself and indeed all of Europe from its energy death spiral?
The Chinese Atom
Renewable Nuclear: All about Breeder Reactors
Vogtle part 4: Can Positive Learning Happen Next?
A Chat with the Nuclear Barbarian
Californication of the Grid
Deep Sea Mining
Will Nuclear power AI?
The Fragilization of the Grid
Peak Cheap Oil?
LNG the Champagne of Energy
Ontario’s Nuclear Revival: Minister Todd Smith
Vogtle Part 3: Was the NRC to blame?
The Energy Returns of Unconventional Oil
Vogtle Part 2: Murphy’s Law
The Politics of a Canadian Nuclear Revival
As Canada embarks on a new nuclear build out of SMRs and large Reactors, Professor Duane Bratt joins me to provide a political scientists perspective on the history and future of the Canadian nuclear sector.
Prospects for Process Heat & “Advanced” Nuclear
It's a Material World
Vogtle Part 1: the Nuclear Renaissance That Wasn't
Extreme Weather and Alberta’s AWOL Renewable Energy
Alberta, sitting on massive reserves of oil and gas, found itself teetering on the edge of blackout this week as temperatures in the negative 40 degree ranges led to multiple grid alerts. As a new record for peak demand was set at 12,384 MW, Alberta's 4481MW wind fleet went AWOL. This raises major concerns regarding electricity planning with a country wide federal mandate for Net Zero electricity by 2035 having already generated significant political controversy in Alberta which has imposed a moratorium on new wind and solar over affordability and reliability concerns. Its is therefore a timely occurrence that this same week Alberta's Capital Power and Ontario Power Generation announced a feasibility study looking at near-term deployment of a fleet of nuclear reactors in the province . Chris Popoff joins me to explain.
From Microchips to Atom Splits
A Fireside chat with Sec. Ernie Moniz
Cracking the Nuclear Innovation Nut
COP28 & The Inconvenient Truth about Coal
How to Fuel a Tripling of Nuclear Energy
NuScale, New Problems
Ontario’s Green Energy Act
Enriching Uranium Understanding
US Offshore Wind Dead in the Water?
The recent cancellation of two large wind projects in New Jersey are the latest in a series of setbacks for the nascent US offshore wind industry. Mark Nelson joins me to analyze whether the nuclear industry is vulnerable to the same cost drivers plaguing this sector.
Small Misunderstood Reactors
Why is Western nuclear so expensive?
Are renewables jobs the “fast food” employment of the energy transition?
“The green economy is shaping up to look less like the industrial workplace that lifted workers into the middle class in the 20th century and more like an Amazon warehouse with grueling work schedules, few unions, middling wages and limited benefits.” Dr. Keefer outlines the problem and prescribes a solution: Nuclear Energy
Just How Cheap are Wind & Solar?
How Ontario Decarbonized
Dr. Keefer’s speech at Minerals Week in Australia sharing the story of Ontario’s coal phaseout & the decarbonization of its electricity grid.
The Geothermal Masterclass
The potential to unlock the energy potential of hot dry rocks by leveraging hydraulic fracturing opens up a vast geography for exploitation as 98% of worlds geothermal resources are made up of these geologic formations.
Quebec reconsiders Nuclear. Waters up with that?
Jigar Shah: Breaking the Nuclear Stalemate
An Oppenheimer on Oppenheimer
American Nuclear: The Next Chapter
American Nuclear: Failure to Learn, Destined to Repeat?
Gone With the Wind: Denmark’s Stalled Energy Transition
Denmark has implemented the world's most ambitious target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. But underlying this target is burning large amounts of biomass imported from abroad mainly the Baltics.
New analysis from the Danish energy department show that biomass use exceeds international sustainability goals several times.
Danish companies are now showing more interest than ever before to seek a more pragmatic and neutral stance towards nuclear power putting the Danish government in a conundrum about its anti nuclear policies.
Johan Sollid, founder and chairperson of Foreningen Atomkraft Ja Tak (Nuclear Power Yes Please,) joins me to discuss Denmark’s energy quagmire and the growing support for nuclear in his country.
Johans Twitter:
twitter.com/sollidnuclear
Embrace the Waste
The Case for CANDU
Bridging the Metabolic Rift
Stormy Waters Ahead for Offshore Wind
Can the Left be Saved From Itself?
Peak Oil and the End of Globalization
Systems engineer, James Fleay, joins me to discuss the unique relationship between liquid hydrocarbons and our six continent supply chains. Oil is the enabler of low cost transportation of people and goods. What does an inevitable decline in oil production, whenever it comes, mean for globalization and our future economies. What forms of economical and industrial complexity should be prioritized? All this and more in this thought provoking episode.
What About the Waste?
Madi Hilly, author of nuclear advocacy’s most viral tweet, joins me to discuss the ultimate bogeyman and best practices when it comes to talking about nuclear waste.
https://twitter.com/madihilly/status/1550148385931513856?s=46&t=N4_61zANEvl1W3Q_ehy1nw
Non-Proliferation & the Antinuclear Mind
Jeremy’s Website: www.nuclearfaq.ca/