| A
research study in North Carolina this past August announced
that solar electricity
(PV) systems are
now cheaper to implement than building a nuclear power plant.
This is a result of falling prices for PV collectors and the
rising costs of constructing nuclear plants.
We receive an average of 1166* kWh/kW
in London (according to data from Natural Resources Canada),
which is not much less than the amount of solar energy potential
in North Carolina. The study states that the cost crossover
occurs at 16 ¢/kWh in
North Carolina - in Ontario, a solar PV system produces
energy at roughly 15.5 ¢/kWh,
while nuclear costs 20.9 ¢/kWh
(according to the Clean Air Alliance). The province would
be better off spending money to ensure that every viable rooftop
has a solar PV system instead of constructing new nuclear
plants.
Economics aside, the environmental factor
must be taken into consideration. Although nuclear does not
produce much in the way of air pollution, there are serious
questions surrounding the long-term effects of radioactive
waste. Solar PV systems generate many times the amount of
energy it takes to construct them and they are non-polluting.
All things considered, solar is the better
choice over nuclear power.
*South-facing, tilted at latitude -15°
Sources:
|
| 
| 
| 
