Concentrated Solar Power Investors in Spain Muy Agitado
Nowhere more than Spain, deficits need to be cut. Subsidies for renewables are on the chopping block. The renewable energy people suggest tapping the fully paid-off and enormously profitable nuclear and hydro utilities. The giants refuse. They want the subsidies for renewables pulled, and appear to have a new law in place that will make this happen, which would destroy the fledgling industry. But clean energy is fighting back; in particular, the CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) investors claim the law is discriminatory.
It’s down to the wire. Which way will this go? Apparently, to International Court of Arbitration.
… The renewable energy people suggest tapping the fully paid-off and enormously profitable nuclear and hydro utilizes….
Somebody is talking out of both sides of their mouths. Is nuclear power profitable or not?
I suspect that the divergence is caused by the difference in the legal system in the U.S. vs Spain. Nuclear power in this country is not hugely profitable mainly from the cost of meeting inane and conflicting regulatory burdens imposed by litigants with an axe to grind. Holding up a nuclear project brings a lot of contributions into the coffers of the green industrial complex. Fear mongering must be more profitable in the U.S.A. than in Spain. Other explanations are welcome.
Larry,
I fully agree!
When licensing of a nuclear plant is delayed, the interest on the investment keeps accumulating even though the plant is producing no income. The same thing happens when construction is delayed after the plant has been partly completed. In the past, there have been cases in which the delays have been so long that the interest has accumulated to the degree that costs have been more than doubled, then people say that nuclear power is too expensive.
Another complicating factor is that there have been too many design variations; that also increases costs.
Even using the traditional pressurized water uranium technology, which I do not favor, nuclear plants can compete very will with coal if there are no unnecessary construction and licensing delays.
Actually, I think that we should be using a better nuclear technology. The liquid fluoride thorium reactor (LFTR) seems promising and we should be spending considerable funds developing it.