DEAD-END PATH NUCLEAR – and alternative energy futures Poster for the Kingston Citizen Inquiry on Uranium Mining, April 5, 2008, submitted by Stefan Seum, Environmental Professional

Uranium is another finite resource! Current uranium resources are exploited at ~$40 per kg uranium 3.3 million t uranium are estimated to be available for $130 / kg worldwide (Source: OECD) This is enough to fuel the current nuclear power plants for only 50 years Would nuclear energy triple as suggested, uranium would run out in 20 – 30 years (Souce: Oeko-Institut)

There are unwanted consequences from the uranium squeeze Tightening resources make the exploitation of less uranium-rich ore necessary The Sharbot site might be needed The Sharbot 0.1% ore produces 40x more tailing than today’s common 4.0% ores Mining sites will become more polluted as we move to lower grade deposits Energy from uranium becomes even more costly – environmentally and economically

Continuing the nuclear path is fighting evil with another evil Limited energy security Ever increasing mining pollution and health risks Increased risks of nuclear accidents No solutions for radioactive waste Continued proliferation of nuclear weapons High profits for centralized, corporate entities High prices for citizens and the environment Dumping the costs on future generations

More democratic and environmentally friendly solutions exist: Decentralizing and democratizing the energy markets, i.e. small-scale community owned power generation Increasing energy efficiency Expanding renewable energy sources, and heat and power co-generation

Germany provides an example of a legislation package that will: Implement final nuclear energy phase out until 2022 Increase share of renewable energy for electricity production to 25-30% by 2020, through:  guaranteed return on investment through fixed feed-in tariffs  aid for wind farms and solar power systems Increase of local heat and power co-generation from 12% today to 25% by 2020 Tax cars based on their CO 2 emissions Enable tenants to reduce rent in case of excessive heating costs

… and the German program is profitable It reduces GHG emissions by 40% in 2020 (based on 1990 levels) It results in a profit of 5 billion Euro in 2020 because investment costs (31 billion) are below energy saving costs (36 billon) Another path is possible, if we end market laissez-faire that profit few and enact laws for the people and the future

Resources for further reading: The Integrated Energy and Climate Programme of the German Government  The German Renewable Energy Sources Act of 2004  The Energy (R)evolution by European Renewable Energy Council and Greenpeace International  links/publications/energy-r-evolution-a-sustain links/publications/energy-r-evolution-a-sustain Research publications by the German Oeko-Institute (German and English language)  hp?IArbeitsgeb1=368&anzeige=pub hp?IArbeitsgeb1=368&anzeige=pub