Amidst the controversy over nuclear energy, we may be overlooking the cost of shutting down power plants without having clean energy to replace it. After Fukushima, Germany shut down most of its nuclear power plants and replaced them with coal plants, resulting in an estimated 1,100 additional annual deaths from air pollution; scientists warn that more than seven millions lives are at stake if all nuclear plants are replaced by fossil fuels by 2050. Read full article here
Technology
The First Solar-Powered Car Comes at a Hot Price
The Lightyear O is a revolutionary electric car powered by the sun. Developed by a Dutch startup, the four-door sedan has over 50 square feet of solar panels on its roof and hood, generating up to 43 miles of energy a day. With production now underway in Finland, the car does come with a hefty price tag at $262,000, but the company hopes to introduce a more affordable version, the Lightyear 2, by 2025. Read full article here