Have you seen the documentary (Pandora's Promise)? It's really interesting. It's on Netflix. I recommend it.

They say that the newer technology on reactors prevents and maybe even nullifys these problems. Besides you would need thousands of square meters of solar panels to get what a small reactor can give. The impact is much, much larger.

I also recommend you to watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTKl5X72NIc

Prices will go up again. Solar power is so cheap right now because the companies overproduced. Solar panels are just in insanely high supply and the only way to compete is by lowering the prices. The market will consolidate next year, some companies will die, others will continue to exist and as soon as supply weakens, the prices will be higher again.

But there is also a primising tech going on in wind with kite sails. Big companies like E.ON and Shell are already invested. If that stuff works, you could build wind parks on the high sea with water levels below 40 meters. You don't need a normal windwheel anymore.

Anyway, stuff will continue to be exciting in the energy market for sure.

Great news. Sunny but poor countries can start investing, and after they are self-sufficient, they can supply nearby countries and make some money. Give that middle finger to Oil and Oil suppliers y'all.

Makes me wonder... What are the sunniest places on earth? What countries can benefit the most from solar power? Inb4 Saudi Arabia

Interesting. 

Nuclear is nearly dead, the last reactors under construction in the EU are massively over budget and riddled with technical problems.

The EPR (Flamanville 3) aimed to be safer than any previous reactor, but as of 2016 the project is three times over budget and years behind schedule. In September 2015 EDF announced that the estimated costs had escalated to €10.5 billion, and the start-up of the reactor was delayed to the fourth quarter of 2018.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flamanville_Nuclear_Power_Plant

Hinkley Point: UK approves nuclear plant deal. The government has approved a new £18bn nuclear power station in the UK after imposing "significant new safeguards" to protect national security.

The government has not altered the guaranteed payment of £92.50 per megawatt hour for electricity generated. It will fall to £89.50 if the new nuclear power at Sizewell is built. Mr Gardiner said it was "too high a price" and it should have been renegotiated.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37369786

Interesting thread with very contrasting views on where the world should be heading, if anything it is really great that people have such polarised views on the way we should be heading to get the most out of the energy around us, I personally feel that every puff of wind and every bit of sunlight which isn't harnessed is keeping us from becoming a more advanced society as a whole, you can only exist so long burning the remains of the things which have died before humans arrived here 12000 years ago, there will reach an obvious point where we are caught up to date and have burned all the previous creatures remains.

Here in Brazil we have a beach that is more radioactive than Chernobyl. Not a problem, really. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvgAx1yIKjg

 In fact, Chernobyl level is almost normal level when compared to a lot of cities.

I really can't attest that it's true but according to some there are families living in Chernobyl since like a month after the accident. They even show some of them on the documentary.

The video shows 50 uSv/h which is equivalent of getting 5-10 dental radiographs (which are about 5-10 uSv) for every hour at that beach. That is quite hot...

ok I will check it out sounds interesting.

Hopefully in the not too distant future, solar can be a big source of our energy.