Robert Kenneth Smart

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

The urgent displaces the important. We need energy of all sorts now as Putin uses it as a weapon. Energy is also what we will need to remove CO2 from the air and sea. This doomberg thread explains our urgent situation:
https://t.co/efIf44b2Qq

[Doomberg @DoombergT]

1/ Since disorder is spontaneous, the human endeavor is a constant, unrelenting struggle against the forces of entropy. We are a highly ordered species – a true miracle of the universe. Beating back entropy requires energy. Ergo, energy is life.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

Our planet has 2 modes: cold+dry and warm+wet. So global warming mostly makes the world wetter. The last time CO2 levels were higher it was rain-forest pole to pole (nearly). If talking about specific local cases of desertification then make that clear. https://t.co/l0CaRGWUzn

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@TheArisen01 @QuixoticQuant The real reason Aus needs to go nuclear is that we need the whole world to go low carbon, and wind-solar can't work in most places. We are rich and should be helping a global effort. Little Denmark has 2 great companies working on this. HTGRs are crucial for industry.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@TheArisen01 @QuixoticQuant The real reason Aus needs to go nuclear is that we need the whole world to go low carbon, and wind-solar can't work in most places. We are rich and should be helping a global effort. Little Denmark has 2 great companies working on this. HTGRs are crucial for industry.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@TheArisen01 @QuixoticQuant Ontario has decided to build more CANDU reactors, and why not: Decades of safe operation, a big modular reactor, don't have to turn it off to refuel, heavy water means it can run on unenriched Uranium, or Thorium or nuclear waste. Canada would be a great partner for us.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@energybants @_FriedrichMerz Australia and Germany have their next federal elections in 2025. Australia first. Wil Australia be first to go nuclear or will we go on alone without any anti-nuclear pals.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@barriecassidy As we know from cricket: ball touching something is insanely hard to decide. I suggest: if it goes through then it's a goal. Like every other code.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@nomve @energybants @Klimavenner Every country did it differently. Here's the French story: https://t.co/P64FPPpuMZ. Small reactors are for submarines and aircraft carriers. The best reactors are CANDU: heavy water, so don't need enriched U, about to get a big expansion in Ontario.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@nomve @energybants @Klimavenner In USA the chosen nuclear destruction mechanism was the NRC. Here's a recent example of how it worked and how it is now responding to pressure from Congress, POTUS and others: https://t.co/KwJWUCkljc.
"draft rule ... But then the rule was stalled for more than 18 months."

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@nomve @energybants @Klimavenner You believe that we can't do things we could do 40 years ago. True story: nuclear capability has been deliberately sabotaged in an insane crime against the planet. Luckily fixable.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@nomve @energybants @Klimavenner France, Ontario and Chicago all had low carbon electricity decades ago using nuclear energy. This is a solved problem. There are other carbon sources. We should be working on those.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@nomve @energybants @Klimavenner Australia could also conceivably just do renewables, but fixing one country is irrelevant. We need to fix the whole world, and that means nuclear, and rich countries should be leading the way, not dragging their feet.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@nomve @energybants @Klimavenner Australia could also conceivably just do renewables, but fixing one country is irrelevant. We need to fix the whole world, and that means nuclear, and rich countries should be leading the way, not dragging their feet.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@AlanKohler @TheNewDailyAu The Conversation has great articles, but the latest has one saying we need to do more, but attacking nuclear energy. And another selling degrowth. The public is realising that anti-nuclear means degrowth and the Left is losing ground worldwide.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

The Conversation @ConversationEDU should be non partisan. Instead we see an article "we need to do more for climate" that attacks #NuclearEnergy, and another selling degrowth. People are seeing that anti-nuclear equals degrowth. The ALP needs to wake up.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@tedobrienmp And let's start a conversation with Canada, and particularly Ontario. CANDU reactors have delivered safe zero-carbon electricity to Ontario for decades. No Uranium enrichment needed. Can burn nuclear waste, They're modular: no huge containment vessel.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

Good decisions come from two things: (a) Transparency; (b) Competition of ideas. Competition of ideas needs 2 levels: (1) Science-like -- play the ball; (2) Politics-like -- pursue biased claims. In a democracy we need to see quality public assessment of the facts.

[Bob Carr @bobjcarr]

Scrutinise every contract. Squeeze ‘em till the pips squeak. Rebuild the public service - but lift its woeful standards shown by Robodebt and defence acquisitions.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@EnergyOfOz @yestiseye @ABCaustralia Nuclear energy is green and would stabilise the grid. All the current Australian green energy options destabilise it even more.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@simongerman600 Evolution will have a say on this. The women having children now are more interested in parenting than average.

[Robert Kenneth Smart @rks987]

@energybants Germany can claim to be less dumb than Australia because they'll be able to import nuclear electricity from their neighbours.