What Does Science Say About the Need for Nuclear?
While Sen. Bernie Sanders has said “scientists tell us” that it’s possible to go carbon neutral without relying on nuclear power, fellow Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, who backs the use of some nuclear energy, has said the data is on his side. Who’s right? Both have a point, but neither is telling the full story.
Most experts agree that Sanders is correct that it’s technologically possible to decarbonize the grid without using nuclear power. But many researchers also say keeping nuclear on the table makes decarbonization easier and more likely.
Sanders, a three-term senator from Vermont, has proposed banning new nuclear power plants and placing a moratorium on existing nuclear power plant license renewals, all while reaching 100% renewable energy by 2030 and “complete decarbonization” by 2050. Currently, 17% of electricity in the U.S. comes from renewables, including 6.5% from wind, 1.5% from solar and 7% from hydropower.
Booker, a New Jersey senator and a former mayor of Newark, has called for reaching “100% clean energy” in the electricity sector by 2030. His plan includes a $20 billion investment in next-generation advanced nuclear research and development by the end of the next decade.
During power generation, nuclear plants release no greenhouse gases, but they come with additional safety, security and waste disposal challenges.
He Said, He Said
The candidates’ divide on nuclear power became apparent on Sept. 4 during CNN’s climate crisis town hall, a two-day event in which the 10 leading Democratic presidential hopefuls were quizzed about their approaches to tackling climate change.
After Sanders was asked about his position on nuclear power by a graduate student in the audience, CNN’s chief climate correspondent, Bill Weir, followed up, pointing out that of its electricity from nuclear, and . Referencing the amount of land required for solar and wind, Weir asked how it would be possible to go “carbon neutral without nuclear in the short term.”
