Pete Kuntz, of Colorado, claims that solar and wind together provide “18 percent of U.S. power” (Letters, 4/5). He should inform the Energy Information Administration (EIA), which figures it differently. According to their website, wind provided 6.3 percent of America’s electricity in 2017, and solar produced a scant 1.3 percent; together, that’s 7.6 percent.
We’re going to need coal to make steel and to build windmills, since (so far) renewables are not able to smelt iron ore.
As for solar power surpassing the generating capacity of nuclear, that was perhaps a semantic mistake. Growth in solar installation will exceed growth in new nuclear installation. But the EIA shows that, for 2017, nuclear power provided 20 percent of America’s electricity.
It will take a very long time indeed for renewables to catch up, and even that prediction assumes the gradual retirement of American nuke plants, with no more new builds.
Choosing solar is a personal decision, not one upon which the readers of this newspaper have the ability to decide for the world at large. If you want to buy a solar system, go ahead. I can’t afford one.
The reason to oppose nuclear power is not that it might be marginally more expensive than solar, but because it has already produced a quarter-million tons of highly radioactive fuel rods that will be inimical to human life for hundreds of thousands of years. We should oppose nuclear power. But let’s care for the facts.
Christopher Logan
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519