Sen. Bernie Sanders has said “scientists tell us” that it’s possible to go carbon neutral without relying on nuclear power. Fellow Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, who backs the use of some nuclear energy, has said the data is on his side. Who’s right? Both have a point, but neither is telling the full story.
One reader sent us a comment about what should be included when calculating the cost of generating electricity.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned the economics of wind energy, saying that wind “doesn’t work” without subsidies. Experts have differing assessments of that. By some metrics, wind power is already competitive with fossil fuels without subsidies. But other measures don’t come to the same conclusion.
In his State of the Union address, President Obama said, “in fields from Iowa to Texas, wind power is now cheaper than dirtier, conventional power.” That is true in some pockets of the country, but the national average for coal and gas prices is still less.