tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432059.post3613836851683261542..comments2008-08-07T04:06:51.786-07:00Neal Dikemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399233529407203333noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432059.post-71103904998588918272008-08-07T04:06:00.000-07:002008-08-07T04:06:00.000-07:002008-08-07T04:06:00.000-07:00Panos,<BR/><BR/>Thank you for your comment. <BR/><BR/>I do have an appreciation of the full costs and risks of nuclear energy -- many of which do not get reflected in the prices of electricity that consumers face, which is highly unfortunate. However, even if you take a reasonable approximation of those costs, amortize them, and include them in electricity prices, PV would still be uncompetitive today. <BR/><BR/>Furthermore, in the US and most other countries, most electricity is not produced by nuclear. (I don't see any reference to nuclear energy in my original post.) In the US and many other countries, coal is the major electricity source. Unless and until carbon emissions have a significant economic penalty, and unless and until PV becomes much cheaper, PV will not be competitive with coal. <BR/><BR/>The high cost of PV is yet another inconvenient truth in the very challenging energy and environmental dilemmas we face today. Quite to the contrary of misleading readers, I'm trying to open the eyes of those who are incompletely informed.Richard T. Stuebihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868836636205142416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432059.post-4101768809040214192008-07-29T05:37:00.000-07:002008-07-29T05:37:00.000-07:002008-07-29T05:37:00.000-07:00Dear Richard,<BR/><BR/>I read through your article with increasing curiousity on who the author could be.<BR/><BR/>Eventually I came to the button to find out about your position at the Cleveland Foundation and NextWave Energy Inc.<BR/><BR/>I trust your knowledge and judgement on the issues you are talking about. Therefore I have no explanation at this point as to how you could possibly miss some major issue when you are talking about coal and nuclear energy as being less costly compared to PV.<BR/><BR/>No one has to be knowledgeable in economics to find out the truth. Just figure in to the cost of nuclear energy the cost for installation of a nuclear plant (the procedure to get all required approvals, the provision of security against terrorist threats, the studies necessary to identify a suitable location that is nowhere near earthquake zones, etc. etc.) Then the cost for dismantling a nuclear plant after 20-30 years that is humongous. Then the cost of accidents that no insurance company will be as insane to cover the risk. And if this were not enough: Do you know the cost of handling nuclear waste? Have you figured it into the cost of nuclear energy?<BR/><BR/>Compared to the true cost of nuclear energy PV is a real bargain!<BR/><BR/>Richard you are a knowledgeable and educated man. Please do not intentionally mislead your readers!<BR/><BR/>We all have responsibility. Each single one of us. Each one of us depending on what we know.<BR/>You do know! (better)<BR/><BR/>Best regards<BR/>Panos <BR/><BR/>Munich, GermanyTausendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03819082616691906918noreply@blogger.com