←back to thread

Japan has opened its first osmotic power plant

(www.theguardian.com)
301 points pseudolus | 1 comments | 25 Aug 25 02:53 UTC | HN request time: 0.202s | source
Show context
setgree ◴[26 Aug 25 18:44 UTC] No.45030567[source]▶
> While it is still an emerging technology being used only on a modest scale as yet, it does have an advantage over some other renewable energies in that it is available around the clock.

I notice the 'some' here, and the absence of the word 'nuclear' from the article, which of course is also available around the clock. Most readers will know something about Japan's troubled relationship with nuclear power and can fill in that context themselves, but to my eyes, it's a startling omission.

replies(2): >>45030651 #>>45032016 #
Arnavion ◴[26 Aug 25 18:52 UTC] No.45030651[source]▶
Some other *renewable* energies. Nuclear isn't generally considered renewable.
replies(1): >>45032325 #
wafflemaker ◴[26 Aug 25 21:05 UTC] No.45032325[source]▶
But it's inexhaustible. Sun will die at some point and moon will fall down to earth. Then we'll have no solar and no waves.
replies(1): >>45032552 #
immibis ◴[26 Aug 25 21:29 UTC] No.45032552[source]▶
Nuclear is quite exhaustible. If we use it to power everything, we have about 100 years worth. It's just another kind of fossil fuel, storing energy that was captured long ago.
replies(3): >>45033877 #>>45034570 #>>45038230 #
1. BenjiWiebe ◴[27 Aug 25 01:49 UTC] No.45034570[source]▶
According to some quick googling and rough math, there's about 5.5 billion years worth of U-235 present in the Earth's crust on the top 15km. If we consider that we can maybe reach 0.5km down, (deepest gold mine is 4km), and assuming it's evenly distributed, then that's only 180 million years!! (2024 global electricity usage)

Think we can figure out breeder reactors in 180 million years? If we're going all nuclear, I'd expect them in under 1,000 years, but I'm not an expert.