2024 03 25
Reflection of sunlight off the moon, through the trees, on a cold winter night in Chicago, Illinois. October, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
Until fusion power is figured out and solves all of humanity’s problems, we’re stuck with nuclear fission power plants, which have their own drawbacks (Homer Simpson vibes) despite being far more green and efficient than all other methods of power generation currently known. More importantly, humans hate nuclear energy, so we do all we can to make sure it doesn’t exist anywhere close to where anyone lives. Germany just closed all of their nuclear plants, as did Japan after the Fukushima disaster (understandably… though have recently reopened some). The United States has only opened two new nuclear power plants in the previous three decades, while demand for energy only continues to go up.
Considering all the talk of AI taking over the world, a less-discussed aspect in making our automated futures become a reality is that the amount of energy required to do so is extreme and will require many new sources. Wind and solar help, yes, but are both inconsistent, have relatively lower outputs, and introduce new challenges. Look for nuclear power to suddenly become fashionable again as corporations realize their power needs are about to skyrocket. In order for the New Industrial Revolution to take place, (I’m just guessing here) we’ll probably need to double our energy capacity. Convenient timing considering climate change and the race to pivot to renewable energy.
Unrelatedly, one fun fact about Illinois is that we produce more nuclear energy than any other state. It’s a small fact that helped motivate me to purchase an electric vehicle, as burning coal to power your car isn’t any better than filling up the tank with gasoline.
Anyway, I bring all this up because it came to mind after watching a Noah Kalina video I liked, so as the website rules go, was required to write about here. I had no idea there used to be a nuclear plant on Long Island (home to many rich and powerful people!) and (therefore) it only operated for a few years even after they spent $6 billion to construct it (insanity!).
-Clayton
