> Nuclear electricity generation has been only 33% efficient (and no imminent breakthroughs are expected).

This is a good example of the pointless numerology deployed against renewables by people like Smil, because he's doing it to nuclear here.

What does this number mean in real life? Basically nothing. Why is he bringing it up then?. Because it sounds like a low number.

Most of the numbers he uses are used because they sound like a big number. That's the level of debate he's aiming for.