(2006-01-19) Brand Schwartz Nuclear Power

Stewart Brand summarizes a Dialogue between Peter Schwartz and Ralph Cavanagh on Nuclear Power. Cavanagh asked, "What about the storage of nuclear waste?" "We defined the problem wrong," Schwartz said. "Storage for thousands of years is not needed. The present storage on site in concrete casks is working, and the "waste" is available as a further energy source with later technology."... Schwartz asked Cavanagh about the large government subsidies (Subsidy) for Solar Power research while there have been none for nuclear (except Nuclear Fusion). Cavanagh said the subsidies were declining, and should. There should be more funding for R&D in biofuels and other alternatives (Alternative Energy), but the main role for government should be in setting emission standards and then let the private sector duke it out for the best solutions.