Analysis: Energy costs keep Japan's focus on nuclear, despite risks and use of renewabl... - 0 views
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Pietro AA on 16 Sep 13Other scarse vaariables introduced: time and technology
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safety is a desire of most men and it is also not infitite therefore it is scarse.
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ctions take about six months for each reactor, and obtaining con
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Energy costs keep Japan's focus on nuclear, despite risks and use of renewables
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other plants remained closed for intensified safety checks
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The issue is cost, and to a lesser extent, concern over a resurgence in climate-changing carbon emissions due to increased use of coal and oil to generate power. Clean energy still only accounts for 10 percent of total consumption — most of it hydropower. Much of the new capacity approved has yet to come online.
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nuclear power remains essential, even with a surge in generation capacity from solar, wind and other renewable sources, and that the world's No. 3 economy cannot afford the mounting costs from importing gas and oil.
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Japan has managed to avoid power rationing and blackouts. Industries have moved aggressively to avoid disruptions by installing backup generators and shifting to new sources, such as solar power.
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households no
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paying 30 percent more for electricity than before, with more rate hikes to come.
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prompted a rethink of plans to raise nuclear capacity from one-third to over half of total demand.
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Reliance on imported oil and gas has surged from about 60 percent of energy consumption to about 85 percent.
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The recent weakening of the Japanese yen has added to the burden on the economy from oil and gas imports.
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Abe and others in favor of resuming nuclear power contend that renewable energy is too expensive and unreliable — wind doesn't always blow, the sun doesn't always shine.
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Apart from those issues, national security requires that Japan retain some self-sufficiency
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Local communities are divided: many have relied heavily on nuclear plants for jobs and tax revenues, but worry over potential risks.
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hat there's a huge opportunity in power
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We're also seeing radical efficiency gains.
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he disposal and security of nuclear waste are issues yet to be resolved.
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For now, however, it appears any phase-out of nuclear power will be very gradual.
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"In the long term if we can create new resources that are more efficient than the current oil-based system, then we can rely less on nuclear power, that's quite possible," Adachi said. "But it will take quite a long time."
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This article shows how, since the meltdown of the Fukushima plant in 2011, the "want" of security (which is scarce) increased and gave energy problems to the country (energy is one of the most important scarce resources . Japan finds itself making decisions limited by the scarcity of energy, safety, time and technology. Should it take risks and stop spending money? Should it keep everybody safe and just go for the hydrocarbur plants? Should it simply invest on renewable energy plants? Should it take time and reaserch Pietro
