[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.82,0:00:02.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Have you heard the news?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:02.49,0:00:05.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're in a clean energy revolution.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.46,0:00:07.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And where I live in Berkeley, California,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.48,0:00:11.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it seems like every day I see a new roof\Nwith new solar panels going up,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.78,0:00:13.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,electric car in the driveway.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.81,0:00:17.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Germany sometimes gets\Nhalf its power from solar,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.05,0:00:21.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and India is now committed\Nto building 10 times more solar
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.57,0:00:22.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than we have in California,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.92,0:00:24.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by the year 2022.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.90,0:00:27.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even nuclear seems to be\Nmaking a comeback.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.87,0:00:30.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bill Gates is in China\Nworking with engineers,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.94,0:00:33.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's 40 different companies\Nthat are working together
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.76,0:00:37.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to try to race to build the first\Nreactor that runs on waste,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.11,0:00:38.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that can't melt down
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.37,0:00:39.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and is cheaper than coal.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.49,0:00:42.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so you might start to ask:
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.43,0:00:45.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is this whole global warming problem
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.25,0:00:48.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,going to be a lot easier to solve\Nthan anybody imagined?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.50,0:00:50.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That was the question we wanted to know,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.48,0:00:53.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so my colleagues and I decided\Nto take a deep dive into the data.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.74,0:00:55.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We were a little skeptical of some parts
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.80,0:00:57.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the clean energy revolution story,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.83,0:01:00.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but what we found really surprised us.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.61,0:01:04.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The first thing is that clean\Nenergy has been increasing.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.54,0:01:08.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is electricity from clean energy\Nsources over the last 20 years.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.02,0:01:12.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when you look at\Nthe percentage of global electricity
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.76,0:01:14.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from clean energy sources,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.13,0:01:18.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's actually been in decline\Nfrom 36 percent to 31 percent.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.72,0:01:20.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if you care about climate change,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.92,0:01:23.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you've got to go in the opposite direction
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.09,0:01:26.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to 100 percent of our electricity\Nfrom clean energy sources,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.67,0:01:28.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as quickly as possible.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.29,0:01:29.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, you might wonder,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.47,0:01:33.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Come on, how much could five percentage\Npoints of global electricity be?"
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.36,0:01:35.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, it turns out to be quite a bit.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.16,0:01:38.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's the equivalent of 60 nuclear plants
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.32,0:01:41.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the size of Diablo Canyon,\NCalifornia's last nuclear plant,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.96,0:01:45.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or 900 solar farms the size of Topaz,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.65,0:01:48.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is one of the biggest\Nsolar farms in the world,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.20,0:01:50.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and certainly our biggest in California.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.59,0:01:54.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A big part of this is simply\Nthat fossil fuels are increasing
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.86,0:01:56.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,faster than clean energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.13,0:01:57.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's understandable.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.40,0:01:59.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's just a lot of poor countries
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.13,0:02:01.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are still using wood\Nand dung and charcoal
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.61,0:02:03.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as their main source of energy,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.22,0:02:04.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they need modern fuels.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.70,0:02:06.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But there's something else going on,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.67,0:02:10.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is that one of those clean energy\Nsources in particular
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.75,0:02:14.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has actually been on the decline\Nin absolute terms,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.18,0:02:15.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not just relatively.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.70,0:02:16.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's nuclear.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.94,0:02:20.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can see its generation\Nhas declined seven percent
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.62,0:02:22.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over the last 10 years.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.48,0:02:25.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, solar and wind have been\Nmaking huge strides,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.11,0:02:28.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so you hear a lot of talk\Nabout how it doesn't really matter,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.04,0:02:30.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because solar and wind\Nis going to make up the difference.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.80,0:02:32.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the data says something different.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.68,0:02:35.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When you combine all the electricity\Nfrom solar and wind,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.75,0:02:40.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you see it actually barely makes up\Nhalf of the decline from nuclear.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.76,0:02:44.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's take a closer look\Nin the United States.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.10,0:02:47.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Over the last couple of years --\Nreally 2013, 2014 --
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.92,0:02:51.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we prematurely retired\Nfour nuclear power plants.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.41,0:02:54.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They were almost entirely\Nreplaced with fossil fuels,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.23,0:02:57.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and so the consequence\Nwas that we wiped out
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.76,0:03:02.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,almost as much clean energy\Nelectricity that we get from solar.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.71,0:03:05.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's not unique to us.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.11,0:03:09.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,People think of California\Nas a clean energy and climate leader,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.21,0:03:11.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but when we looked at the data,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.24,0:03:12.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what we found is that, in fact,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.76,0:03:15.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,California reduced emissions more slowly\Nthan the national average,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.99,0:03:17.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between 2000 and 2015.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.36,0:03:19.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What about Germany?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.62,0:03:21.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're doing a lot of clean energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.68,0:03:23.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when you look at the data,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.43,0:03:26.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,German emissions have actually\Nbeen going up since 2009,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.73,0:03:29.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and there's really not anybody\Nwho's going to tell you
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.33,0:03:32.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they're going to meet\Ntheir climate commitments in 2020.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.14,0:03:34.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The reason isn't hard to understand.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.91,0:03:38.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Solar and wind provide power\Nabout 10 to 20 percent of the time,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.24,0:03:40.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which means that when\Nthe sun's not shining,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.31,0:03:41.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the wind's not blowing,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.69,0:03:43.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you still need power for your hospitals,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.86,0:03:46.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your homes, your cities, your factories.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.62,0:03:50.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And while batteries have made\Nsome really cool improvements lately,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.54,0:03:53.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the truth is, they're just never\Ngoing to be as efficient
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.28,0:03:54.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as the electrical grid.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.50,0:03:57.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Every time you put electricity\Ninto a battery and take it out,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.65,0:04:00.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you lose about 20 to 40\Npercent of the power.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.47,0:04:04.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's why when, in California,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.09,0:04:06.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we try to deal with all the solar\Nwe've brought online --
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.82,0:04:09.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we now get about 10 percent\Nof electricity from solar --
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.61,0:04:12.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when the sun goes down,\Nand people come home from work
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.28,0:04:14.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and turn on their air conditioners\Nand their TV sets,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.79,0:04:16.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and every other appliance in the house,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.72,0:04:19.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we need a lot of natural gas backup.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.20,0:04:20.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what we've been doing
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.39,0:04:23.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is stuffing a lot of natural gas\Ninto the side of a mountain.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.62,0:04:25.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that worked pretty well for a while,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.89,0:04:28.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but then late last year,\Nit sprung a leak.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.90,0:04:30.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is Aliso Canyon.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.77,0:04:33.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So much methane gas was released,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.81,0:04:36.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was the equivalent of putting\Nhalf a million cars on the road.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.02,0:04:40.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It basically blew through all\Nof our climate commitments for the year.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.68,0:04:43.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, what about India?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.03,0:04:46.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sometimes you have to go places\Nto really get the right data,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.30,0:04:48.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so we traveled to India a few months ago.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.31,0:04:51.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We met with all the top officials --\Nsolar, nuclear, the rest --
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.46,0:04:53.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and what they told us is,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.03,0:04:55.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"We're actually having\Nmore serious problems
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.11,0:04:56.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than both Germany and California.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.81,0:05:00.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don't have backup;\Nwe don't have all the natural gas.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.36,0:05:02.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's just the start of it.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.92,0:05:05.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Say we want to get\Nto 100 gigawatts by 2022.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.83,0:05:07.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But last year we did just five,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.81,0:05:09.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the year before that, we did five."
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.87,0:05:12.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, let's just take\Na closer look at nuclear.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.77,0:05:15.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The United Nations Intergovernmental\NPanel on Climate Change
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.02,0:05:18.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has looked at the carbon content\Nof all these different fuels,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.01,0:05:22.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and nuclear comes out really low --\Nit's actually lower even than solar.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.97,0:05:26.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And nuclear obviously\Nprovides a lot of power --
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.89,0:05:29.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.46,0:05:33.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During a year, a single plant can provide\Npower 92 percent of the time.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.42,0:05:35.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's interesting is that\Nwhen you look at countries
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.02,0:05:38.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that have deployed different\Nkinds of clean energies,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.58,0:05:40.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's only a few that have done so
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.51,0:05:43.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at a pace consistent with dealing\Nwith the climate crisis.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.39,0:05:45.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So nuclear seems like\Na pretty good option,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.46,0:05:47.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but there's this big problem with it,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.52,0:05:49.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which all of you, I'm sure, are aware of,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:49.58,0:05:52.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is that people really don't like it.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.43,0:05:55.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There was a study, a survey done\Nof people around the world,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.65,0:05:58.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not just in the United States or Europe,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.17,0:05:59.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about a year and a half ago.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.73,0:06:01.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what they found
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.09,0:06:04.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that nuclear is actually one\Nof the least popular forms of energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.90,0:06:07.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even oil is more popular than nuclear.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:07.36,0:06:10.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And while nuclear kind of\Nedges out coal, the thing is,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.55,0:06:14.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,people don't really fear coal\Nin the same way they fear nuclear,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.39,0:06:16.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which really operates on our unconscious.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.83,0:06:18.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what is it that we fear?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.49,0:06:20.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's really three things.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.06,0:06:22.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's the safety\Nof the plants themselves --
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.32,0:06:25.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the fears that they're going\Nto melt down and cause damage;
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.15,0:06:26.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's the waste from them;
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.52,0:06:29.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and there's the association with weapons.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:29.56,0:06:30.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think, understandably,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.02,0:06:35.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,engineers look at those concerns\Nand look for technological fixes.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.09,0:06:38.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's why Bill Gates is in China\Ndeveloping advanced reactors.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.10,0:06:41.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's why 40 different entrepreneurs\Nare working on this problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.24,0:06:43.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I, myself, have been\Nvery excited about it.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.50,0:06:45.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We did a report:\N"How to Make Nuclear Cheap."
Dialogue: 0,0:06:45.66,0:06:48.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In particular, the thorium reactor\Nshows a lot of promise.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.59,0:06:50.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when the climate\Nscientist, James Hansen,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.71,0:06:52.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,asked if I wanted to go to China with him
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.01,0:06:55.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and look at the Chinese\Nadvanced nuclear program,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.42,0:06:56.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I jumped at the chance.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:56.69,0:06:59.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We were there with MIT\Nand UC Berkeley engineers.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:59.90,0:07:01.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I had in my mind
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.60,0:07:03.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the Chinese would be able\Nto do with nuclear
Dialogue: 0,0:07:03.94,0:07:05.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what they did with so many other things --
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.01,0:07:09.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,start to crank out small nuclear\Nreactors on assembly lines,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.96,0:07:14.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ship them up like iPhones or MacBooks\Nand send them around the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.38,0:07:16.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I would get one at home in Berkeley.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.12,0:07:19.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But what I found was somewhat different.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.10,0:07:22.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The presentations were all\Nvery exciting and very promising;
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.03,0:07:24.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they have multiple reactors\Nthat they're working on.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.54,0:07:27.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The time came for the thorium reactor,\Nand a bunch of us were excited.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.87,0:07:31.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They went through the whole presentation,\Nthey got to the timeline
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.30,0:07:32.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they said,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.58,0:07:36.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"We're going to have\Na thorium molten salt reactor
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.12,0:07:38.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ready for sale to the world
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.31,0:07:39.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by 2040."
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.85,0:07:42.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I was like, "What?"
Dialogue: 0,0:07:42.49,0:07:43.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:43.53,0:07:45.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I looked at my colleagues and I was like,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:45.56,0:07:47.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Excuse me --
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.05,0:07:49.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can you guys speed that up a little bit?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.40,0:07:52.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because we're in a little bit\Nof a climate crisis right now.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.50,0:07:55.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And your cities are really\Npolluted, by the way."
Dialogue: 0,0:07:55.25,0:07:57.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they responded back, they were like,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.59,0:08:00.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"I'm not sure what you've heard\Nabout our thorium program,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.40,0:08:02.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but we don't have a third of our budget,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:02.34,0:08:05.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and your department of energy\Nhasn't been particularly forthcoming
Dialogue: 0,0:08:05.47,0:08:08.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with all that data you guys\Nhave on testing reactors."
Dialogue: 0,0:08:09.38,0:08:11.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I said, "Well, I've got an idea.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:11.76,0:08:15.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know how you've got 10 years\Nwhere you're demonstrating that reactor?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:15.38,0:08:16.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's just skip that part,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.98,0:08:19.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and let's just go right\Nto commercializing it.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:19.35,0:08:21.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That will save money and time."
Dialogue: 0,0:08:21.38,0:08:23.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the engineer just\Nlooked at me and said,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:23.100,0:08:25.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Let me ask you a question:
Dialogue: 0,0:08:25.64,0:08:29.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Would you buy a car that had never\Nbeen demonstrated before?"
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.91,0:08:31.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what about the other reactors?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.53,0:08:34.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a reactor that's coming online\Nnow, they're starting to sell it.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:35.01,0:08:36.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a high-temperature gas reactor.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.82,0:08:38.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It can't melt down.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.84,0:08:41.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it's really big and bulky,\Nthat's part of the safety,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.60,0:08:43.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and nobody thinks\Nit's going to ever get cheaper
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.92,0:08:45.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than the reactors that we have.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.88,0:08:49.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The ones that use waste as fuel\Nare really cool ideas, but the truth is,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.98,0:08:52.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we don't actually know how to do that yet.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:52.05,0:08:54.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's some risk that you'll\Nactually make more waste,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:54.67,0:08:57.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and most people think\Nthat if you're including
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.49,0:08:59.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that waste part of the process,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:59.60,0:09:02.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's just going to make the whole\Nmachine a lot more expensive,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:02.59,0:09:04.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's just adding another complicated step.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:05.76,0:09:07.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The truth is,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:07.70,0:09:10.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's real questions about how much\Nof that we're going to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:10.87,0:09:13.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, we went to India and asked\Nabout the nuclear program.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:13.78,0:09:16.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The government said\Nbefore the Paris climate talks
Dialogue: 0,0:09:16.20,0:09:19.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they were going to do something\Nlike 30 new nuclear plants.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:19.28,0:09:21.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when we got there\Nand interviewed people
Dialogue: 0,0:09:21.38,0:09:23.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and even looked at the internal documents,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.48,0:09:25.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're now saying\Nthey're going to do about five.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:25.96,0:09:28.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in most of the world,\Nespecially the rich world,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:28.53,0:09:30.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're not talking\Nabout building new reactors.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:30.84,0:09:33.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're actually talking\Nabout taking reactors down
Dialogue: 0,0:09:33.15,0:09:34.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,before their lifetimes are over.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:34.84,0:09:37.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Germany's actually pressuring\Nits neighbors to do that.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:37.65,0:09:39.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mentioned the United States --
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.48,0:09:43.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we could lose half of our reactors\Nover the next 15 years,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:43.85,0:09:46.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which would wipe out 40 percent\Nof the emissions reductions
Dialogue: 0,0:09:46.69,0:09:49.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're supposed to get\Nunder the Clean Power Plan.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:49.06,0:09:52.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Of course, in Japan, they took\Nall their nuclear plants offline,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:52.15,0:09:54.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,replaced them with coal,\Nnatural gas, oil burning,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.53,0:09:58.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they're only expected to bring\Nonline about a third to two-thirds.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:58.11,0:10:00.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when we went through the numbers,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:00.68,0:10:02.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and just added that up --
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.03,0:10:05.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how much nuclear do we see\NChina and India bringing online
Dialogue: 0,0:10:05.17,0:10:07.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over the next 15 years,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:07.16,0:10:10.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how much do we see at risk\Nof being taken offline --
Dialogue: 0,0:10:10.74,0:10:13.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this was the most startling finding.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.05,0:10:16.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What we found is that\Nthe world is actually at risk
Dialogue: 0,0:10:16.57,0:10:22.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of losing four times more clean energy\Nthan we lost over the last 10 years.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:22.06,0:10:25.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In other words: we're not\Nin a clean energy revolution;
Dialogue: 0,0:10:25.43,0:10:27.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're in a clean energy crisis.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:28.99,0:10:33.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's understandable that engineers\Nwould look for a technical fix
Dialogue: 0,0:10:33.19,0:10:35.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the fears that people have of nuclear.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:35.17,0:10:37.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when you consider\Nthat these are big challenges to do,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:37.97,0:10:40.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they're going to take\Na long time to solve,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:40.28,0:10:42.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's this other issue, which is:
Dialogue: 0,0:10:42.04,0:10:45.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Are those technical fixes\Nreally going to solve people's fears?
Dialogue: 0,0:10:45.83,0:10:47.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's take safety.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:47.41,0:10:49.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know, despite what people think,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:49.92,0:10:53.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's hard to figure out how\Nto make nuclear power much safer.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:53.08,0:10:55.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, every medical\Njournal that looks at it --
Dialogue: 0,0:10:55.42,0:10:58.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this is the most recent study\Nfrom the British journal, "Lancet,"
Dialogue: 0,0:10:58.55,0:11:01.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one of the most respected\Njournals in the world --
Dialogue: 0,0:11:01.03,0:11:03.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,nuclear is the safest way\Nto make reliable power.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:03.57,0:11:05.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everybody's scared of the accidents.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:05.38,0:11:07.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you go look at the accident data --
Dialogue: 0,0:11:07.69,0:11:09.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Fukushima, Chernobyl --
Dialogue: 0,0:11:09.21,0:11:11.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the World Health Organization\Nfinds the same thing:
Dialogue: 0,0:11:11.94,0:11:15.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the vast majority of harm\Nis caused by people panicking,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:15.94,0:11:18.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they're panicking\Nbecause they're afraid.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:18.28,0:11:19.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In other words,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:19.53,0:11:23.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the harm that's caused\Nisn't actually caused by the machines
Dialogue: 0,0:11:23.09,0:11:24.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or the radiation.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:24.49,0:11:26.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's caused by our fears.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:26.57,0:11:28.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what about the waste?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:28.04,0:11:29.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everyone worries about the waste.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.66,0:11:31.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, the interesting\Nthing about the waste
Dialogue: 0,0:11:31.86,0:11:33.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is how little of it there is.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:33.31,0:11:34.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is just from one plant.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:34.71,0:11:38.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you take all the nuclear waste\Nwe've ever made in the United States,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:38.11,0:11:40.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,put it on a football field, stacked it up,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.33,0:11:42.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it would only reach 20 feet high.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:42.58,0:11:45.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And people say it's poisoning\Npeople or doing something --
Dialogue: 0,0:11:45.88,0:11:48.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's not, it's just sitting\Nthere, it's just being monitored.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:48.80,0:11:50.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's not very much of it.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:50.21,0:11:54.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By contrast, the waste that we don't\Ncontrol from energy production --
Dialogue: 0,0:11:54.06,0:11:57.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we call it "pollution," and it kills\Nseven million people a year,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:57.21,0:12:00.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's threatening very serious\Nlevels of global warming.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:00.06,0:12:04.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the truth is that even if we get\Ngood at using that waste as fuel,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:04.04,0:12:06.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's always going to be\Nsome fuel left over.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:06.34,0:12:10.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That means there's always going to be\Npeople that think it's a big problem
Dialogue: 0,0:12:10.23,0:12:13.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for reasons that maybe don't have\Nas much to do with the actual waste
Dialogue: 0,0:12:13.56,0:12:14.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as we think.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:14.85,0:12:16.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, what about the weapons?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:17.05,0:12:20.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe the most surprising thing\Nis that we can't find any examples
Dialogue: 0,0:12:20.37,0:12:22.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of countries that have nuclear power
Dialogue: 0,0:12:22.35,0:12:24.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then, "Oh!" decide to go get a weapon.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:24.80,0:12:26.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, it works the opposite.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:26.52,0:12:28.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What we find is, the only way we know
Dialogue: 0,0:12:28.71,0:12:31.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how to get rid large numbers\Nof nuclear weapons
Dialogue: 0,0:12:31.19,0:12:33.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is by using the plutonium in the warheads
Dialogue: 0,0:12:34.01,0:12:36.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as fuel in our nuclear power plants.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:36.49,0:12:40.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so, if you are wanting to get\Nthe world rid of nuclear weapons,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:40.43,0:12:43.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then we're going to need\Na lot more nuclear power.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:43.96,0:12:46.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:12:49.52,0:12:50.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As I was leaving China,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:50.90,0:12:54.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the engineer that brought Bill Gates there\Nkind of pulled me aside,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:54.12,0:12:56.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he said, "You know, Michael,\NI appreciate you interest
Dialogue: 0,0:12:56.92,0:12:59.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in all the different nuclear\Nsupply technologies,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:59.65,0:13:02.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but there's this more basic issue,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:02.60,0:13:05.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is that there's just not\Nenough global demand.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:05.16,0:13:08.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, we can crank out\Nthese machines on assembly lines,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:08.11,0:13:09.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we do know how to make things cheap,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:09.88,0:13:12.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but there's just not enough\Npeople that want them."
Dialogue: 0,0:13:12.30,0:13:17.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so, let's do solar and wind\Nand efficiency and conservation.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:17.27,0:13:19.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's accelerate the advanced\Nnuclear programs.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:19.58,0:13:22.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think we should triple the amount\Nof money we're spending on it.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:23.05,0:13:25.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I just think the most important thing,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:25.47,0:13:27.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if we're going to overcome\Nthe climate crisis,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:27.65,0:13:32.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is to keep in mind that the cause\Nof the clean energy crisis
Dialogue: 0,0:13:32.92,0:13:35.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,isn't from within our machines,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:35.20,0:13:37.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's from within ourselves.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:37.56,0:13:38.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you very much.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:38.83,0:13:42.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)