In other words, if we run a nuclear plant and deliberately induce a, as you say, "Fukushima-style cleaup", we are about comparable.
That's how expensive proper storage is. "Storage will save us", is frankly, an irresponsible lie that has killed.
In other words, if we run a nuclear plant and deliberately induce a, as you say, "Fukushima-style cleaup", we are about comparable.
That's how expensive proper storage is. "Storage will save us", is frankly, an irresponsible lie that has killed.
(Obviously some form of storage would also be necessary for nuclear power which cant adjust output to match variable demand).
It is pretty cheap to build pumped storage, relatively. Pumping water uphill isnt too complicated. Until a few months ago though the cheapest "battery" was still natural gas.
Pumped storage is an unsexy 100 year old technology and it doesnt have a huge lobby doing public relations like the nuke industry so when big projects go ahead we tend not to hear about it but there are tons in the pipeline all over.
There isnt a shortage of up. The geography to make it work isnt rare:
https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-spot-530-000-potenti...
Pretty much the only place without suitable geography in the US for pumped storage is Florida.
In Europe hydropower in the alps is already being used as a giant battery.