Boiler Technician Hulk SMASH!

A friend of mine was telling me that he was helping to carry out disaster training at his work at the weekend. My friend, to explain, works at a Nuclear Power Plant.
The scenario was a breach in the reactor, leading to a meltdown - just as a passenger train goes by.

He said that it was going to be as a realistic set-up as they could make it.

It sounded like quite good fun and I, naturally, offered my services to help add to the realism. My friend declined the offer. This was perhaps a wise move, as, to be honest, I could just see it how it would probably turn out:

Greville Tombs: Hi. We are here for the Plant disaster training. I OK'd it with my friend. He won't mind that I've brought another friend, Grant, along. I am, obviously, going to play the part of a radioactive zombie.
Nuclear Operative: And what has your friend, Grant, come dressed as?
Grant: I am the result of the folly of 20th century man's pursuit of a future fuelled by nuclear energy.
Nuclear Operative: And that result would be?
Grant: I am a super-sized atomic caterpillar.
Nuclear Operative: With torches for antennae?
Grant: They represent lasers.

Surely all those Godzilla movies can't be wrong?

Of course, I am against nuclear energy madness - the consequences if something goes awry would be devastating. Radioactive zombies, giant bugs - they would be simply unbearable to live with. I think that we can also concede that fossil fuels are not a long term answer. Most believe that the planet would be better with a replacement for both of these power sources. The answer is to see about harnessing  the natural re-usable resources out there.

But what to go for? Now, I am no scientist, but here are my views.

Solar power - there is an abundant supply of sun waves coming from the Sun. And for some in the North of Britain, people don't even notice they are there. So it seems the ideal source of natural energy. To power just one house, though, I would think your entire roof needs tiled with solar panelled calculators. And, taking in the costs of running the technology, maintenance and repairs, it will economically break even for you after installation within 120 years. Which you could work out using your roof. Hmmm, maybe not the most cost efficient.

Wave power - waves, you get lots of them in the sea. They are happening pretty much constantly. But the technology, unlike solar, is not up to scratch. It is costly, inefficient, could upset the fish, stop boating channels... it is quite intrusive. Most of all, they have to transport that energy inland. Not everyone lives by the sea. Until such times as they can hook one up to my local Waterworld (famed for it's "wave pool") thereby powering it and the rest of the area in a perpetual motion configuration, I can't see wave power being cock of the walk.

Wind power - now we are talking. Wind is everywhere - there is wind in the air and air is all over the place. Wind turbines can be put close to where power is needed, and they generate a lot of it. Look! How much power is this one generating?

F**ing awesome

They actually produce more power than the other alternatives and produce no emissions. They are ideal. In fact, the only negative to the wind turbine is that it is visually unappealing on the landscape. But I may just have a solution for this.

OK, I admit, one or two of these turbines on the horizon, next to lovely woodland scenery or on the side of a hill - they look awful.

But just picture loads of them on that hill or near that favourite woodland walk. I am talking, like, 85 of them. All rotating their 130ft blades in unison. Now that is a sight to behold. A wondrous sight. A true spectacle. Who could complain about that?