After the reactor accident in Fukushima around ten years ago, the federal government decided to phase out nuclear energy.
The risks of nuclear energy, as the catastrophe had shown, are high, and last but not least, nuclear waste is generated during production.
But climate protectors are now questioning this decision.
Because electricity from nuclear energy is cleaner than electricity from coal.
So are we taking a risk technology that produces climate-friendly electricity off the grid?
"Nuclear energy is the best means of producing electricity in a climate-friendly, environmentally friendly, inexpensive and reliable way," says Rainer Klute, the chairman of a pro-atom association. "Nuclear power and renewables go hand in hand, not against each other, but with each other against coal and natural gas."
Anti-nuclear activists are not at all enthusiastic about the new hype about nuclear power: »There must be no eco label for nuclear power. It is very clear here: highly toxic radioactive waste is produced every day in nuclear power plants. That is well known, «says Heila Beyme from Anti Atom Berlin. She is of the opinion that we have to rely on wind and solar energy for a climate-neutral future. “We should actually put our energy into renewables. We need to do more for storage. And we have to do more for decentralized energy generation. We're not doing ourselves any favors with nuclear power. "
The problem with radioactive waste could soon be partially solved, says Philip Bethge, editor in the science department of SPIEGEL: “Generation IV reactors work at much higher temperatures and with more energy.
As a result, you could in future be able to burn the nuclear waste yourself and generate further energy from it. "
We ask ourselves: Has Germany phased out nuclear energy too soon?
And should we maybe even go back to nuclear power?
We are discussing this this week in the »Climate Report«, our podcast on the climate crisis.
This time our guests are: Heila Beyme from Anti Atom Berlin, Rainer Klute from Verein Nuclearia, and Philip Bethge, editor in the science department of SPIEGEL.
Curious?
Then you will now hear our »Climate Report«.
