It depends on the technology used.
For instance, IF the Yucca Mountain repository ever gets built & used, the
stored waste will generate enough heat to keep the ambient temperature at
around 200C. You can boil water with that kind of heat. Which you can use
to run turbines that generate electricity. And that heat source will be
available for thousands of years. Wouldn't it be good to find a use for
that nuclear waste?
Also, if we used thorium based reactors, then we wouldn't get as much waste,
and much of the nuclear byproduct would be highly-valued "medical isotopes."
That said, I would not advocate to "depend on Nuclear energy for hundreds of
years." It's a temporary measure, and, I think, a very good one.
See my blog posting:
http://filsalustri.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/rethinking-nuclear/
Cheers.
Fil
On 18 March 2011 13:27, Rob Curedale <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I wonder how many spent fuel rods we will have to dispose of if we depend
> on
> Nuclear energy for hundreds of years. It seems like lazy short term
> thinking
> again.
>
> Rob Curedale
>
> .....................................................................
>
> email: [log in to unmask]
> url: www.curedale.com
> address: PO Box 1153 Topanga CA 90290 USA
> skype: rob.curedale
> profile: http://tiny.cc/92p9t
> twitter: @designresearch
>
> .....................................................................
>
--
Filippo A. Salustri, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Ryerson University
350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON
M5B 2K3, Canada
Tel: 416/979-5000 ext 7749
Fax: 416/979-5265
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://deseng.ryerson.ca/~fil/
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