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Japan has opened its first osmotic power plant

(www.theguardian.com)
301 points pseudolus | 2 comments | 25 Aug 25 02:53 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
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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.

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ok_dad ◴[26 Aug 25 20:37 UTC] No.45032016[source]▶
I love nuclear power and know a lot about operating them, however:

1) It's expensive. Very very expensive.

2) It's dangerous when not operated properly, and I don't trust commercial interests operating hundreds of these due to this reason.

3) It's bad for the environment, both the mining to get the uranium and all of the processes to turn it into fuel.

4) There is no answer for spent fuel.

Whereas with solar or wind you can basically remove #1, #2, and #4, however you still have to mine and process the materials.

Anyways, nuclear will be great for some niche uses, I am sure, but it isn't the answer to our green energy prayers.

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jrflowers ◴[27 Aug 25 00:14 UTC] No.45033936[source]▶
> 4) There is no answer for spent fuel.

We store it. There are radioactive waste storage sites in 39 US states, for example.

https://curie.pnnl.gov/system/files/SNF%20and%20Rep%20Waste%...

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ok_dad ◴[27 Aug 25 04:35 UTC] No.45035507{3}[source]▶
Humans haven’t stored anything for twenty thousand years yet.
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jrflowers ◴[27 Aug 25 06:19 UTC] No.45036033{4}[source]▶
How do you know that?

And if humanity can’t do anything that it hasn’t done before, why should we care about power generation or any problem that wasn’t completely solved before today? (Like today. The day that you are reading this.)

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ok_dad ◴[28 Aug 25 01:54 UTC] No.45047456{5}[source]▶
I know because storage of spent nuclear fuel is a pretty big deal, and right now the USA is simply sequestering it on-site with no plans beyond 50-100 years because there is NO solution for long-term (20k years) storage.
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1. jrflowers ◴[28 Aug 25 08:05 UTC] No.45049660{6}[source]▶
Nobody asked you about what’s a big deal or not. You answered a question that nobody asked you. I asked you how do you know that humanity has never stored anything for 20,000 years. You would need a list of every thing that was ever buried by a human and then proof that everything on that list has been dug up.

“Nuclear waste makes me nervous” is not proof that we have dug up everything that has ever been buried.

Given the (possibly intentional?) inability to parse language here, to make sure that you’re not a bot, is it possible for you to answer the question? If yes say yes and then answer it, if no just write something vaguely anti-nuclear

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2. ok_dad ◴[28 Aug 25 17:55 UTC] No.45055018[source]▶
I'm not anti-nuclear, I'm realistic and I understand the technology and it's pitfalls. I was trained to operate nuclear power plants, I understand how they work and I'm not scared of the tech. I'm scared of letting American corporations who have zero accountability construct and operate them.