RE: The nuclear situation in Japan is getting worse, experts worry about other plants in seismic zones
The complete situation in Japan is terrible. The great loss of life and the suffering of so many thousands is heartbreaking.
I think the people so affected should be our first concern.
Not ALL energy has a downside. Think of lightning farming. The total number of strikes and the emmense power in each of those strikes is astounding. And this occurs thousands of times a day 24/7/365. The amount of power in lighting strikes is huge. Multiply that by thousands of strikes a day and you have what, practically speaking, amounts to a never ending, always on, 100% free source of non-poluting energy that just might require no storage capability.
Connect all the grids worldwide into one massive grid.
Put up many radio/tv type towers with lightning rods and pump the electricity straight into the grid. Send the excess to ground to protect the grid. Rectify the power to the desired voltage and frequency at the final place of use. Send any excess there to ground.
Further good news is that lightning strikes of great numbers occur in relatively small areas of the earth's surface (all around the world) meaning the farms can easily be located for maximum efficiency.
Lightning power isn't going away and unless you get struck by it, it's harmless.
And if we must use nuclear energy, I agree, let's build no more of the same reactors we've used for so long but start building the modern designs that REALLY can be "turned off".
