Sweden is the country that American leftists used to love. But the Swedes recognized the error of their socialist ways some time ago, and at the rate things are going, they might one day be the darlings of the American right. Reuters headlines: “Swedish parliament passes new energy target, easing way for new nuclear power.”
Sweden’s parliament on Tuesday adopted a new energy target, giving the right-wing government the green light to push forward with plans to build new nuclear plants in a country that voted 40 years ago to phase out atomic power.
Changing the target to “100% fossil-free” electricity, from “100% renewable” is key to the government’s plan to meet an expected doubling of electricity demand to around 300 TwH by 2040 and reach net zero emissions by 2045.
If the concern is carbon dioxide emissions, there is no rational objection to nuclear energy. And, unlike wind and solar, nuclear power actually works.
Sweden already gets hardly any of its electricity from fossil fuels: 98% comes from hydro, nuclear and wind. Replacing that inefficient wind power with nuclear makes perfect sense.
Via Watts Up With That?, which adds this from Net Zero Watch:
The Swedish decision is an important step in the right direction, implicitly acknowledging the low quality of unstable wind and solar, and is part of a general collapse of confidence in the renewable energy agenda pioneered in the Nordic countries and in Germany.
As I have said many times: if you are not concerned about carbon dioxide emissions, burn as much natural gas and coal as possible. If you are concerned about CO2 emissions, the only sane energy source (along with whatever modest amounts of hydro may be available) is nuclear.
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