Summary
The G8 has come to the realization that nuclear energy and mitigation of the expected undesired aspects of climate change are not mutually exclusive. More than 70% of the electricity requirement in France is produced by nuclear power. The benefits are significant in that France is much less dependent on the importation of petroleum and that issues with carbon dioxide are much less severe than elsewhere.
Analysis
Full disclosure: I am an atomic veteran. For more than 10 years I was employed as a research staff member (chief scientist) at one of the US uranium enrichment plants. The enrichment of the uranium 235 isotope in uranium hexafluoride is one of the great engineering/scientific achievements of the 20th century. The improvements in efficiency from the gaseous diffusion to the gaseous centrifuge process (and possibly to laser-based) in the separation of the uranium isotopes render the increased use of nuclear power for electricity generation as an important component of a well-balanced (global) energy portfolio.
It is unfortunate that the US Government (with respect to Dr. Chu) does not identify the use of enriched uranium as an important piece of our energy future. All companies involved in the nuclear fuel cycle (mining, conversion, enrichment, fabrication, and power generation) will benefit from increased emphasis on nuclear energy for environmentally friendly, base-load power requirements. The US Enrichment Corporation (USEC), my former employer, will certainly benefit from the increased use of nuclear power for electricity generation.
