Kenneth Baldwin

Professor Kenneth Baldwin is a physicist and academic at the Australian National University. He is the Deputy Director (Research) of the university's Atomic & Molecular Physics Laboratories.[1]

He is also the Director of the ANU Energy Change Institute.

Nuclear power commentary

Baldwin has commented on nuclear power in Australia. Following the announcement of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission in South Australia in February 2015, Baldwin told the ABC:

"Australia is an energy rich country... we have 40 per cent of the worlds uranium stock, so it makes enormous sense for us to look at to replacing our fossil fuels with renewables and also with the prospect of using our vast quantities of nuclear power."[2]

In June 2015 Baldwin told the Science Show on ABC Radio National that "the use of nuclear power to generate electricity is going to be carbon free," a comment that drew criticism and accusations of fraud made by anti-nuclear activist, Brett Stokes. Baldwin also speculated on the prospect of nuclear industrial development in Australia, stating:

"It’s these two things—social licence and a regulatory framework—that really need a lot of attention in the near future if we are going to have a nuclear industry in this country. It will involve a process that could take a considerable period of time."

Baldwin also commented on the changing nature of the electicity market in Australia, and pointed to some uncertainty around the economics of nuclear power.

"The price of renewables is dropping, solar is dropping much faster than wind. And it could well be that by 15 years' time solar is really in a position to be the leading form of new power generation. If we wait too long then the nuclear option might have gone completely."[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Professor Kenneth Baldwin - RSPE - ANU". physics.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  2. ↑ "SA royal commission on nuclear energy sparks calls for discussion to go national". 2015-02-09. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  3. ↑ "Geothermal and nuclear energy". Radio National. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
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