Renewable resources powering businesses, factories, schools and homes will be less expensive than fossil-fired electricity in as little as a decade from now, said Steven Chu, former Department of Energy Secretary. The price tag of wind, solar and other alternative technologies will beat the price of fossil power even factoring in the cost of transmission carrying the green power and energy storage technologies, Chu said Dec. 3. “I violently disagree with those who say renewables are always more expensive than fossil power,” Chu said at a Public Policy Institute of California meeting. The lower price of alternative energy—currently and what is expected in the next 10 to 20 years—does not include the carbon and other air pollution benefits of renewable energy. Chu added that today it’s “cheaper to dump carbon into the atmosphere.” Once a price is put on carbon, renewables are an even better financial deal, he added. Currently the cost of wind and natural gas fired power plants are very close. Chu, Mary Nichols, California Air Resources Board chair, and former Secretary of State George Schultz, debated ways to ameliorate climate impacts in California, as well the roles played by the state versus federal government. Chu and Schultz insisted that nuclear power—particularly the potential for smaller fission plants sized around 100 MW—is likely to be a big part of the climate solution. “There is always some perfect technology just on the horizon that is the Holy Grail,” said Nichols. She noted unfulfilled promises of other emerging technologies touted as the answer to California’s carbon woes—from car batteries to the hydrogen highway. This state forbids new nuclear plants because there is no long-term repository for the high level radioactive waste. Nichols added that nuclear power is not as climate-friendly as touted when viewed from a life-cycle perspective, including the carbon impacts of uranium mining and the building of the plant. Chu conceded that it was not known whether smaller nuclear plants would be “economically feasible.” “It’s safety, safety, safety,” added Schultz. The trio hailed California for being a leader on energy efficiency and renewable development.
