On Oct. 30, Rick Jacobi, a Longmont physician, challenged Carl Brady's suggestion that the U.S. should abandon wind power and return to fossil fuels and nuclear energy as our primary sources of energy. Dr. Jacobi predicted global disaster should we return to either. Among other things, he asked: "Is nuclear power a better legacy for our grandchildren?" My answer: "Yes, it is."
I don't dispute Dr. Jacobi's assertion that fossil fuels contribute to climate change. I agree that alternative carbon-free energy, such as wind and solar, are preferable to the continued use of atmospheric-polluting fossil energy sources. However, these alternative sources of power, while green, are not sufficient to provide the large amount of energy required to power the U.S. economy. In the absence of energy storage technology, which is still in its infancy, wind power is not available when the wind is not blowing. We need some way to provide continuous, reliable and sufficient energy to base-load the electrical needs of our major industries and large cities.
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