Claiming the Earth Challenge Prize With Nuclear Energy

Yesterday, former Vice President Al Gore and Virgin Airways CEO Richard Bransom announced the establishment of a $25 million prize for greenhouse gas reduction:

Branson, founder of Virgin Group Ltd., will award the Virgin Earth Challenge prize money to anyone who develops technology capable of removing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases at the rate of one billion tons a year. Gore will be a member of a panel of judges that makes the award. The two made the announcement at a press conference in London.

That gave Michael Flagg an idea:

Build more nuclear power plants. Ramp up work in South Africa on Pebble Bed Modular Reactors, build those big AP-1000's for major industrial centers and we in the U.S. start recycling used fuel rods.

I just won $25 million!

Party at my place when the check clears.

Who needs to count the emissions prevented by new nuclear build when the exisiting fleet of plants worldwide is already getting the job done. According to NEI's own internal estimates, 435 nuclear power plants in 30 nations produce 16 percent of the world's electricity. By replacing fossil fuels in electricity generation, nuclear plants in 2005 reduced CO2 emissions by more than 2 billion metric tons.

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