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June 8, 2011
Germany Commits Economic Suicide
Update: Japan follows suit
From Instupundit:
RATHER A LOT, REALLY: What Will A Nuclear-Free Germany Cost? Economic suicide by policy-fad? "Blackouts are a near-term concern because, under Merkel's plan, Germany's eight oldest reactors--seven of which she ordered offline for safety inspections in March, and another undergoing maintenance--would never run again, and ramping up supply from other sources could prove difficult. Germany's Federal Network Agency has determined that southern Germany, which stands to lose five reactors producing 5,200 megawatts, could run short of power this winter. During cold snaps, demand for power is at a peak, and output from Germany's more than 17,000 megawatts' worth of solar capacity is also at a minimum. Electricity imports are also harder to come by during the winter, as neighboring countries confront their own power peaks."Give the Obama Administration credit for avoiding such flightiness.
UPDATE: Reader Robert L. Crawford writes:
Economic Suicide is exactly it, and the first case I'm aware of by a dynamic western democracy. Communist 5-year plans, starving the kulacs, Great Leaps Forward, etc., can be explained considering the sources, but for Germany in 2011? They are sacrificing their economic future and standard of living for political correctness. Stunning.Indeed.
Update: From an AP story in The Washington Post:
The disasters have renewed a national debate on nuclear power in Japan, which has few natural resources. Japan relied on nuclear energy for 30 percent of its electricity before the disasters and planned to raise that to 50 percent by 2030, but the government has announced it will abandon that target and promote renewable energy instead.Some nuclear plants across the country remain shut in the wake of the disaster, leading to fears Tokyo and other areas may not have enough electricity for the peak summer months. Residents of the capital are reducing their use of lights and air conditioning, and some companies are moving crucial operations like computer centers to parts of Japan with more stable power supplies.
Posted by Tom at June 8, 2011 10:00 PM
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