Nuclear Power to be questioned in a Peak Oil context at Imperial College, London.

There is increasing awareness that energy prices are not going to get any cheaper. Britain is currently on the edge of a gas crisis, threatening industry, while oil prices have settled above $60 a barrel. Chief Executives at both Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell have said the era of easy oil is over. The claims that we are imminently approaching the global peak in oil production are gathering in intensity and validity. At the same time, the race is on to change our electricity generation to one that emits far fewer greenhouse gases than burning fossil fuels, due to the threat of Climate Change. With a large section of Britain’s current crop of power stations coming to the end of their lives by 2020, there are many who are calling for Nuclear Power to be the answer to these questions.

“Nuclear Power and Peak Oil” will address these questions with talks from Dr. David Fleming and Paul Mobbs, followed with a questions and answers session. Paul Mobbs is an independent environmental consultant and author of the influential book Energy Beyond Oil. Dr. David Fleming is author of “Energy and the Common Purpose – descending the Energy Staircase with Tradable Energy Quotas (TEQs)". Dr. David Fleming will give his critique of Nuclear Power and Paul Mobbs will talk about the other options available as the world begins to deal with declining global oil supplies and looks to find the path to sustainability. There will also be a 30 minute screening of the acclaimed ‘The End of Suburbia : Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream’. For anyone interested in the Nuclear Power debate, this is an event you will not want to miss.

‘Nuclear Power and Peak Oil’ is presented in association with SOAS, Imperial Green Societies and PowerSwitch. It will take place at the Read Lecture Theatre, Sherfield Building, Imperial College on Tuesday 21st March 2006 at 6.30pm. Entry is free. For more information visit www.powerswitch.org.uk or call James Howard of PowerSwitch on 020 8123 2500.