Nuclear may become obsolete warns US solar energy chief

[bananas]

Source: The Telegraph

The UK risks missing out on the benefits of solar power by focusing on sources such as nuclear, according to the Scottish entrepreneur behind one of America's fastest growing retail solar panel companies.

"It alarms me to read the UK debate where there is talk about further subsidies to support a new nuclear plant that will generate its first electrons in 2023," said Andrew Birch, chief executive of Sungevity, a solar company in San Francisco.

"Given the proven cost curve in solar, that nuclear plant could be obsolete before it’s even switched on. Politicians must be careful not to lock Britons into 20th century energy prices."

Mr Birch, a former City banker who was born in Edinburgh, was behind the "Globama" campaign credited with convincing US President Barack Obama to install solar panels at the White House. After a petition gathered 50,000 signatories, Mr Obama agreed to install solar within a few months.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/10265065/Nuclear-may-become-obsolete-warns-US-solar-energy-chief.html

[bananas]

1. Interview: 'Solar had to be smarter than digging stuff up and burning it’

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/10265067/Interview-Solar-had-to-be-smarter-than-digging-stuff-up-and-burning-it.html

Interview: 'Solar had to be smarter than digging stuff up and burning it’

With his solar firm Sungevity, Scotsman Andrew Birch is riding a Californian energy boom that could be bigger than fracking.

Ever heard the one about the Brit who sold sunshine to the Californians?

Improbable as it sounds, Andrew Birch, born and bred in Scotland, arrived in San Francisco six years ago determined to persuade gas-guzzling America to switch to solar power. He co-founded Sungevity and no-one's laughing now: it's one of America's fastest growing solar companies and at the forefront of what's being rapidly recognised as a global energy revolution.

Last week President Obama announced that work had started at the White House to install solar panels. The installation company is a US state secret but the move follows a sustained campaign led by Sungevity.

"Big result," says a delighted Birch, 36, in Sungevity's office in Oakland. He credits "a young guy on our team" for coming up with idea for a Glo-bama petition. "We got 50,000 signatories and Obama agreed to do it two years ago - finally the panels hit the roof in August 2013."

<snip>

[MADem]

2. "Warns?" I'd say that's not a warning...that's good news! nt

[nolabels]

5. The brits sometimes use "may" and "is" interchangably

I still remember protesting and writing in letters with hundreds of thousands of others about THIRTY years ago about the waste of money the Plant in San Onefre, California was and is going to be. The money at the time was only a secondary concern then as is now.

How dare they, some of the bastids should be jail but instead have gotten rich off it.

San Onofre Nuclear Plant Is Dead, but Zombie Costs Will Plague the Public
http://www.allgov.com/usa/ca/news/where-is-the-money-going/san-onofre-nuclear-plant-is-dead-but-zombie-costs-will-plague-the-public-130610?news=850248

[MADem]

8. I think it's funny how the "Torygraph" (as a poster downthread pointed out) printed this good news

like it was some kind of bummer!

Only a bummer for the wealthy with stocks--they should have diversified!

[nxylas]

6. Bear in mind this is from the Torygraph

A far-right newspaper which gives lots of space to climate change deniers. An end to nuclear power means less radioactive material to put into bombs. Plus solar energy is cleaner and less polluting, which automatically makes it bad in the "fair is foul and foul is fair" anti-morality of the right.

[MADem]

7. Ah, so the headine should read "Energy Chief WARNS rich basstids that the gravy train is grinding to

a halt!"

[reusrename]

9. ha!

Much better headline!

[silverweb]

3. NOW, please!

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Mr. Birch needs to keep on talking because a lot more people need convincing.

[freshwest]

4. *happy dance*