China to invest $189 Billion in Renewable Energy

**zach** · 10-13-2008, 08:21 PM

Glad they are doing something... Seems like the U.S. could be spending a little more... Maybe after we stop spending billions in Iraq we can afford to invest in Renewable energy and electric cars....

China will invest 1.5 trillion yuan (US$189 billion) to increase the ratio of renewable energy consumption, says Wu Guihui, deputy director-general of the Bureau of Energy under the National Development and Reform Commission.

Renewable energy

**Mason** · 10-14-2008, 12:24 PM

Eh, its good that they are at least trying to clean up their act. It still doesn't compensate for the smog and pollution they're pumping into the ocean though.

Originally Posted by zach

Maybe after we stop spending billions in Iraq we can afford to invest in Renewable energy and electric cars....

Amen to that brother

**Matt Johnson** · 12-06-2008, 03:17 PM

Sounds like a good start. I heard China is going nuclear for their energy. Is nuclear still classified as green? It seems that people change their minds about these things regularily.

**Karl** · 12-06-2008, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Matt Johnson

Sounds like a good start. I heard China is going nuclear for their energy. Is nuclear still classified as green? It seems that people change their minds about these things regularily.

I am not sure that nuclear was ever classified as "green". The main advantages of nuclear from an environmental perspective are the lack of CO2 emissions, and the potential for recycling the radioactive waste within the system; however - there is the issue of the residual risk in the case of unplanned events (accidents and incidents). Regardless of how many safeguards and quality control features are implemented in the operation of nuclear facilities, the consequences of a mishap (however improbable) are almost definitely more serious than in the case of most other types of power plants

Here is an article related to the "green-ness" of nuclear energy --> Questioning Nuclear Power's Ability To Forestall Global Warming

**zach** · 12-06-2008, 08:31 PM

Yeah, the mining uranium ore, it's somewhat limited supply and how to safely dispose of the waste are all major issues. And as Karl mentioned the risk of catastrophic accident that are deadly and very harmful to the environment.

So nuclear power generation may arguably be a way to curb carbon emissions/global warming/climate change but it's definitely not green and may not be sustainable in the long term.

**Matt Johnson** · 12-07-2008, 12:30 PM

Yeah. There is a lot of discussion about uranium here in Saskatchewan, as we have the largest supply in the world. Anybody know when the last catastrophic accident was with uranium?

**Karl** · 12-07-2008, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Matt Johnson

... Anybody know when the last catastrophic accident was with uranium?

Not too sure when the last one was, but this one was enough for some people ...

> YouTube - The Chernobyl disaster - the severe days

> Chernobyl

> The Chernobyl disasters Its effect on Belarus and Ukraine

Of course, that was under different circumstances than the present, and is not the same as mining of uranium.

But whether or not some people consider nuclear facilities as safe / environmentally friendly / carbon neutral, etc., it could not regarded as part of the "renewable" energy plans (of China and elsewhere), since it is a depleting resource.