Nuclear energy is cleaner than solar & wind. It’s also low-cost, reliable, & safe.

So what’s the problem?

Public perception. People believe myths about nuclear.

It's time to set the record straight. 🧵 2/ Myth: Nuclear power isn’t safe.

Fact: Nuclear power is just as safe as solar & wind.

People are swayed by emotion & don’t consider the evidence.

People think wind & solar are the best way to make electricity.

I used to think that too. But I was wrong.

In my new book, I explain why.

I evaluate US power sources using 12 criteria.

🧵Why nuclear wins: 2/ Nuclear is cleaner than solar.

Solar emits up to 25X more CO2 than nuclear, when you account for ALL energy & materials needed to make solar panels.

~75% of solar panels are made in China—using coal.

enricomariutti.it/the-dirty-secr…

Contrary to @nytimes, wind & solar won’t replace fossil fuels. 🧵 2/ Wind & solar power don’t help with 80% of our energy use.

They generate electricity.

But electricity is only 20% of our total energy use.

People think electric cars will reduce oil demand, but they won’t.

If every car in the US were electric tomorrow, oil demand would likely increase.

Here’s why:🧵 2/ Oil plays a critical role in:

Fueling 97% of all global transportation: trucks, trains, planes, ships.

Enabling modern agriculture practices—from equipment to chemicals.

Producing clothing, housing, computers, phones, medical equipment, & millions of other products.

What does the public think about nuclear energy?

~75% of Americans support construction of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).

Public support is significantly higher for SMRs compared with large nuclear power plants. 🧵

bit.ly/43HUgjH Democrats & Republicans finally agree on something.

Both parties support building small nuclear power plants.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will likely cost ~$1.2 trillion—3X more than the official gov't forecast.

Shareholders in Chinese companies are going to profit.

China dominates the solar, wind, electric vehicle supply chains.

forbes.com/sites/kenrapoz… China controls EVERY single segment of the solar supply chain:

97% of wafers
85% of cells
79% of polysilicon
75% of modules

bit.ly/3anx9nv

Wind & solar power increase emissions.

Accommodating intermittent renewables forces natural gas plants to ramp up & down quickly—similar to city vs highway gas mileage.

Most natural gas plants have a *minimum operating level* of 50% because of bit.ly/3yx5g56… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… Here's an example:
A 7-month investigation finds solar power causes North Carolina power plant to double daily emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx), a dangerous air pollutant.

Solar causes unnecessary air pollution because it relies on power plants to nsjonline.com/article/2019/0…… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Nations rise & fall based on their ability to provide energy.

Energy shortages lead to blackouts, rationing, & riots.

1 BILLION people across the world are at risk of power blackouts.

This photo is from a riot in Indonesia due to a 30% rise in fuel prices.🧵 2/ What's the cause?

Restricted access to reliable & affordable energy.

Nuclear power is safe.

People falsely believe it’s dangerous–like they falsely believe airplanes are more dangerous than cars.

They’re swayed by emotion & don’t consider the evidence.

https://twitter.com/paulg/status/1597207916352000000

Nuclear power plants have up to 20X less cancer risk than solar plants.

UN report: bit.ly/39yOauI

A golf ball size piece of uranium metal could power a person's entire lifetime. 🧵

1/ 2/ Materials use is the biggest factor in determining environmental impact & energy costs.

Nuclear fission beats EVERY other energy source including fusion.

The results are so dramatic it requires zooming in across 3 bar charts to compare energy sources.

We’re at the dawn of the nuclear age.

Countries around the world are waking up to the reality that nuclear power is safe, reliable, affordable, clean—and *necessary.*

It’s the only 24/7 zero-emission energy source & the only practical choice for long-term energy security.🧵 2/ China aims to lead the world in nuclear power.

150 nuclear reactors planned in the next 15 years.

bloomberg.com/news/features/…

California’s energy policies increase gas prices & harm the environment.

If CA wants to cut gas prices, reduce CO2 emissions, limit air pollution, & protect habitat, it needs to promote local oil production. 🧵

https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/1578486105040510976

California could easily drill to get access to the 1.5 BILLION barrels of oil sitting underground (4.2% share of US oil reserves).

Instead, CA imports oil from countries with fewer environmental & labor requirements.

nbcnews.com/investigations…

I used to support wind power and vilify natural gas. I was so wrong.

Here's the truth. ⬇️ 2/ Natural gas has reduced CO2 by 2X more than wind.

The US has reduced ~1 BILLION metric tons of CO2 since 2005—more than the entire EU. What’s produced the energy-related reductions:

61% = Natural gas replacing coal
31% = Wind
8% = Solar

bit.ly/3nBTKzD

I used to think solar was the best way to make electricity, but I was wrong. 🧵 4/ Only ~200 people have died as a result of radiation from a nuclear accident in 60+ yrs.

Yet millions die every year from the effects of coal.

Want to make the world a better place?

Burn more coal, oil, & natural gas.

That’s the premise of @AlexEpstein's new book Fossil Future.

Sound crazy?

Before judging—hear the moral case for fossil fuels.🧵 2/ Most of us agree on our ultimate goals:

* Protect & improve the quality of human lives.

* Protect & improve the quality of our environment.

Disagreement usually happens when discussing the best path to achieve both these goals.

MYTH: Wind & solar are the cheapest sources of power.

Fact: Wind & solar are EXPENSIVE, wasteful add-ons to existing power sources. 🧵👇

Chart: bit.ly/3D2BkiA
@MNThinkTank 2/ People who claim wind & solar power are cheap don’t factor in real-world conditions.

They ignore land cost, property taxes, transmission, utility returns, & battery storage. They also make implausible assumptions about reliability & lifespans of wind turbines & solar panels.

I love the *idea* of wind power. It sounds natural. Clean. Moral. But in reality, wind power harms the environment & people—especially low-income people. The myths about wind power are fueling bad energy policies & poor investments. The facts make it all look ridiculous. 🧵👇 2/ MYTH: wind power helps the environment.

Wind power requires excessive mining & land use. It industrializes coastline & kills wildlife.

Nuclear & natural gas power plants reduce CO2 emissions more effectively.

eia.gov/todayinenergy/…

I used to believe nuclear energy was dangerous & nuclear waste was a big problem.

It took me years to realize I was wrong. My ignorance & ideology stood in the way.

Here’s the truth: nuclear is the SAFEST, most powerful & reliable way to generate low-emission electricity.🧵👇 2/ All energy sources have tradeoffs.

Nuclear rises to the top when you compare it against the alternatives:

Burning coal & oil generate pollution.

Solar & wind power are unreliable.

Hydro & geothermal aren't always available.

Utopian energy fantasies are turning California (CA) into a dystopian nightmare.

CA’s energy policies amount to a bold suicide plan worthy of a collective Darwin award.

CA's failed policies are a cautionary tale for other societies.
🧵👇 2/ Full disclosure: I contributed to CA’s failed policies.

I worked with state agencies, local gov’t, & utilities promoting solar & wind power for over two decades.

I believed I was acting morally & protecting the well-being of people & the planet, but I was harming both.

Feeling like you’re doing the right thing doesn’t mean you are. For years, I felt like I was protecting the environment. I was wrong! But I couldn’t admit it. My sense of identity was tied to false beliefs about energy–myths that blinded me to what *does* help the planet:
🧵👇 2/ MYTH: Solar & wind power are the best ways to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Fact: The biggest emissions reductions over the last 15 yrs have been due to shifts from coal to natural gas.

Natural gas produces only 10% of the air pollutants & 50% the CO2 that coal does.

Solar power harms both the environment & people—especially people with lower incomes.

I say this as someone who championed solar for over two decades. I thought I was helping to protect the environment, but I was wrong.

Some more reasoning behind this picture 🧵👇 2/ Evaluating the environmental and social impact of solar panels requires weighing the costs and benefits, & accounting for all the social & environmental costs of mining, manufacturing, installing, operating, and disposing of the solar panels.