In the aftermath of the multiple Fukushima desaster both Hong Kong and China - the former depending on the latter – are in a real fix:
With the dilemma of either building more coal powered plants and suffering of higher air pollution – which actually causes 2,800 respectively 600,000 premature deaths – or to stay with nuclear power and to bear its burden of high security risks and of environmental and human stress for millenia.
So what about renewable energies as the third path and the way out of this squeeze?
“As far as the Chinese are concerned, the “Renewables Age” is here and now, and it seems as though is just a matter of time before Chinese brands will be a major player in the most important – and profitable – global industry.”
Source: China’s Green Leap Forward (yermibrenner.com)
And Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce member and Corporate Sustainability Specialist, Thomas Tang said:
“although he is satisfied with the [Daya Bay] plant’s safety precautions, they should not be solely dependant on nuclear power. “With nuclear, obviously you’re taking the radioactive material and harnessing the energy that comes from that. And there is a risk there that if you don’t manage that process properly, it can be out of control. So that’s the difference. But in terms of availability, clearly nuclear has a much larger role at this stage in time to be able to supply the energy that we need, as an alternative to wind, solar and hydro.”
Source: Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant Leak (The Pulse / youtube)
Read more:
China’s Green Leap Forward (yermibrenner.com)
Nuclear or Coal? by Philip Bowring (New York Times)
by atsil
