Atomkraft, Nein, Danke?

I would recommend that Germany continue with it’s scheduled April 2023 phase out of nuclear power. I believe that it was necessary to push back this date from the previously planned December 2022 due to the energy shortage from the Ukraine crisis. However, I do not think it needs to be delayed for another 10+ years.

The price of truly renewable energy such as wind and solar has been rapidly falling in recent years, and even more importantly, innovation in battery technology has made it feasible to power the grid entirely off of intermittent sources such as wind and solar. Iron based lithium batteries, despite having lower energy densities than li-ion batteries, are cheaper, safer, and have longer lifespans, making them perfect for grid energy storage.

I think a future without nuclear power is possible, and it is possible now. Even though nuclear power does not release carbon, the dangers posed by the technology have historically been devastating. There is no way to guarantee that the nuclear failures of the past will not happen again, and for this reason, the technology should be phased out.

The AfD political party in Germany would not agree. They would like to see a “renaissance” in nuclear power, and more plants built.