Electrical Energy generatration, what should the world use to make it?

[PracticalMac]

What is the mix of power generation that best balances need vs use?

Here is challenge: Power Generation must balance Power Consumption very closely.

Michael Shellenberger has a good video describing these challenges very well, however also make some huge errors.
Michael Shellenberger champions Nuclear energy and I do agree it is needed as for its constant and copious power generation (YES, must be fail safe and waste fuel disposal must be part of plan).
Unfortunately he seems to completely discard renewable, and makes a significantly flawed statement seeming to compare one type of solar electricity generator with all solar e generators.


Anyway, IMHO a good mix (average of all, as regions will vary)
30~40% Nuclear
30~50% Renewable (wind, solar, hydro, wave)
<25% natural gas and other gas.

0% Coal for electricity (although there will be a few very local exceptions)

Photo Voltaic, aka Solar Cells, will make most of the solar budget, mainly because they can be mounted anywhere, and most importantly right were the demand is. The caveat is there MUST be robust and 100% recycling process for PV that are expired (age or failure).

Much to discuss, this is just a seed post.

Have at it!

 

[velocityg4]

I say we get trillions of hamsters spinning wheels to run generators.

Edit: On a serious note. I want development of WAMSR. It'll burn through our stockpiles of nuclear waste and can power us completely. I think it is estimated for the next 70 odd years. Don't care to look up the figure at the moment. Anyways, it'll eat through most of the existing nuclear waste and the remainder will have a half life of hundreds of years not hundreds of thousands. Making storage of the remaining waste until it is radioactively neutral plausible. Even if we mankind were wiped out.

Until then. While I'm for nuclear. It's mostly pro molten salt reactors. As there isn't a danger of meltdown and there is far less waste. Again waste with a shorter half life. Definitely want a lot more solar, wind, wave and geothermal power. I'm not a fan of hydro as it shifts environmental problems from emissions to dams.