02/03/2023, 19:34

1. Our petition seeks to improve the success of the Energiewende, so we changed the title and additional text to reflect that.

2. Over the last few decades, considerable practical and scholarly evidence has emerged that the more renewables you install on a grid, the more difficult and expensive it becomes to "firm" that intermittent energy. This causes ratepayer prices to rise and, if you are firming with coal or gas, it can add emissions back. Germany and California are two cases in point. However, when you deploy sources of firm, clean power, which includes hydro, nuclear or geothermal, together with solar and wind, you will have both clean and firm power and can get to a 100% carbon-free grid without increasing dependence on fossil fuels. We added more text to clarify that because, in practical terms, that should be the goal of the Energiewende, but isn't yet.

3. Upon request, we have supplemented our text descriptions with footnoted references, to show evidence of our claim


New title: SuspendImprove the Energiewende! AllowLet clean nuclear, hydro, wind and solar towork endin useunity oftowards fossil100% fuels!clean!

New petition description:

Nuclear energy is safe, clean and carbon-freecarbon-free[1] and German nuclear power is some of the best there is.is.[2] Closing nuclear power plants that have already been paid for, only to increase energy production from coal and gas, is the height of climate irrationality. It is time to rethink and improve the Energiewende.Energiewende to be "nuclear-inclusive.[3] We need immediate carbon reduction by all means possible—which includes using intermittent clean sources like solar and wind but also firm clean sources like hydro, geothermal and nuclear power—notpower. The goal should not be growth of renewables without nuclear at any price, when this approach increases emissions by forcing more fossil fuels onto the grid at the expense of the environment and regardlessclimate goals. The goal of emissions.the NuclearEnergiewende should be 100% Clean Energy using ALL sources of clean power available (known as a "Clean Energy Standard"). Including sources of clean nuclear energy enables faster and more effective decarbonization today along with theenhanced energy security needed to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine.Ukraine Anyand increasedefend inagainst useenergy ofshortages and price volatility. Shutting nuclear plants is the reason why there is increased need for fossil fuels and we know this is criminal,bad whenfor wehuman health and our climate goals [4]. We have it within our means to avoid those emissions.excess emissions and build a climate-resilient grid, and only politics and our failure to look at the real data on energy safety is standing in the way. Sadly, destroying nuclear power plants has allowed fossil fuel companies to make billions in profits at the expense of ratepayers. How can politicians force the closure of nuclear power plants in the midst of a climate and energy emergency—and look our youth in the face? This is wantonly detroying large and critical investments in excellent, reliable clean energy infrastructure—and potentially their future. We need to move beyond antinuclear politics and do better: our youth are watching! [5]

[1] Our World in Data: https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy.

Also see UNECE: Life-cycle Assessment of Electricity Generation options: https://unece.org/sed/documents/2021/10/reports/life-cycle-assessment-electricity-generation-options, and a video by Prof. Ruzic, Univ. Illinois: Dispelling the Myths of Nuclear Energy: https://youtu.be/c1QmB5bW_WQ

[2] Cicero " Die Grünen sind Genies darin, das Volk über die Atomkraft zu täuschen,  

Also see:  https://www.kernd.de/kernd/presse/pressemitteilungen/2001/2001-02-14_Deutsche_Kernkraftwerke_weltweit_fuehrend.php

and : www.power-technology.com/features/featuregrohnde-the-worlds-most-productive-nuclear-power-plant-4912472/

and world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/German-Canadian-reactors-set-new-world-records

and : https://world-nuclear.org/getmedia/891c0cd8-2beb-4acf-bb4b-552da1696695/world-nuclear-performance-report-2021.pdf.aspx

[3]  Environmental Defense Fund, Stanford University, Princeton University, Energy & Environmental Economics, Clean Air Task Force, UC San Diego and The Brookings Institution collaborated on “California needs clean firm power, and so does the rest of the world,” studying how to optimize future power grids endeavoring to achieve 100% carbon-free power and established that such grids will be lower cost with a source of firm clean power, such as hydro, nuclear or geothermal. (edf.org/cleanfirmpower).

[4]  ACS Publications: “Prevented Mortality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Historical and Projected Nuclear Power,” by Pusher A. Kharecha and James E. Hansen, pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/es3051197

[5] WorldCrunch, "Why Young People Are Now Nuclear Power's Most Potent Supporters," by Diana Pieper, August 29, 2022.

ItWe isare timein forcrisis mode with a resettingprolonged ofwar in Europe, an energy crisis and a climate crisis. If we hope to succeed in addressing these difficult and life-threatening issues, we need to critically reassess obsoleted and anachronistic antinuclear policies and prejudices.prejudices and base long-term and irreversible energy decisions on facts. Polls show that 80%increasing numbers of Germans support using nuclear power to increaseproduce clean energy production, reduce energy insecurity and succeed in achieving global decarbonization goals.goals.[1] Even The United States, the UK, France, Canada, and even Japan isare pursuing a pathwaypathways back to nuclear.nuclear.[2] Germany Theis committed to decarbonization but needs to recognize that closing nuclear power is not helping and is actually hurting these efforts. To be a leader on the global climate stage, the Green Party especially but the Bundestag and all elected politicians must wake up to thetoday's political, economic, technical and climate realityreality—that thatallowing wesafe, needreliable nuclear energy to partner with wind and solar to firm power grids is the most efficient and eliminatecost-effective way to achieve difficult climate and energy goals—especially eliminating continued dependence upon coal and gas.gas and their carbon emissions. We demand that we reverseimprove theEnergiewende by reversing its outdated antinuclear policy of Energiewende be reversed and allow all carbon-free energy technologies—including nuclear—to be used to help power a 100% carbon-free energy economy as soon as possible to avoid energy insecurity, price volatility and decades more delay with growing fossil fuel CO2 emissions. This request should be granted because we owe our children the best chance we can give them to a better future and swafe nuclear energy can help provide that.

[1]   GMF: “Nuclear Is Germany’s Best Path Out of the Energy Crisis, Dec. 7, 2022, by Kristine Berzina nd Sophie Arts,  https://www.gmfus.org/news/nuclear-germanys-best-path-out-energy-crisis. This article references an August 2022 study which shows “some 41 percent of Germans support extending the plants’ operations, while a further 41 percent support long-term use of the plants.” (See “ARD-DeutschlandTREND”poll at: www.infratest-dimap.de/fileadmin/user_upload/DT_2208_Bericht.pdf.)

World Nuclear News, in Aug. 2022, reported “Wide public support for keeping German reactors online, says polls” (www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Wide-public-support-for-keeping-German-reactors-on). They state: ““In another poll, conducted by the online survey institute Civey on behalf of Der Spiegel, 78% of respondents backed the continued operation of the last three German reactors until the summer of 2023. Even among the supporters of the Greens, there was a narrow majority for this.”  

Weekly data: Shift in Germany’s perception of nuclear energy.  Shows a graphic labeled “Attitudes towards nuclear energy in Germany are changing.”  This table shows that only 15% of all Germans now prefer to “Switch off nuclear power.” This means that 85% no longer agree that switching off nuclear power makes sense.  If you average the percentages of each party that want to “Switch Off Nuclear Power,” on 13% support that, leaving 87% choosing a different option. This is a big change. (Source Energy Monitor: “Weekly data: Shift in Germany’s perception of nuclear energy” www.energymonitor.ai/policy/weekly-data-shift-in-germanys-perception-of-nuclear-energy/)

[2]  United States: Progressive, pro-climate policies in the U.S., as revealed by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, now support nuclear energy and recognize its importance to meeting four goals: Energy Security, Low-Carbon Power, Reliable Power Grids and Economic Opportunity & Jobs. See: "Biden-Harris Administration Announces Major Investment to Preserve America's Clean Nuclear Energy Infrastructure," November 21, 2022. Also see: The Inflation Reduction Act — How Does It Impact the Nuclear Energy Industry?

United Kingdom: BBC, Energy strategy: UK plans eight new nuclear reactors to boost production, April 7, 2022.

France: World Nuclear News, "France outlines plans to speed new nuclear," November 4, 2022.

Canada: CBC: 4 Provinces push ahead with plan to build small nuclear reactors to supply power, March 28, 2022. Also see: GE: Energize This: Canada Could Become a Global Hub for New Nuclear Technology, August 16, 2021, by Tomas Kellner.

Japan: NPR (Associated Press), “After the Fukushima disaster, Japan swore to phase out nuclear power. But not anymore.” Dec. 22, 2022. And see: Power Magazine, “Nuclear Power Is Finally Poised to Ramp Up Again in Japan, Dec. 1, 2022, by Aaron Larson. And see: The Japan Times, “Japanese panel approves return to nuclear power as disaster memories fade,” Dec. 22, 2022, by Isabel Reynolds and Takashi Umekawa.