Compact nuclear power units may blow wind away

That purchase price buys a big tube about 65 metres tall that simply requires the right fuel rods to start generating electricity. The tube is installed upright, but buried so that two-thirds is below ground.

The land required, various outbuildings and connections would be extra. The mid-level waste generated - fuel rods have to be changed every three to four years - can be stored on site for years before the question of long-term storage arises.

In contrast, a Bureau of Research and Energy Economics report issued in November states that the Jupiter wind farm being developed by EPYC in New South Wales, a short drive from Canberra, has a planned capacity of up to 350 MW and an estimated capital cost of $400 million.

Case closed? Not quite. Wind is a variable energy source with the commonly accepted capacity factor (average output) for wind farms being 30 per cent, as opposed to around 90 per cent for the likes of nuclear reactors, and their output is dispatchable, making it considerably more valuable.

Wind turbines, left out in all weathers, are usually expected to last about 20 years, while the WNA information claims a life span of 80 years for the Holtec reactor.

Nuclear might still seem expensive, but just as the price of wind and photovoltaic units has dropped due to additional demand, the price of off-the-shelf reactors may also come down - and they do not generate any emissions. Wind enthusiasts should watch out.