I think nuclear power has a long way to go before it will ever become non-useful to the species, which is to say I'm pro nuclear-power, generally. I think its better for the Earth that we localize massive power generation around a relatively small area, rather than systemetize energy transfer into, almost, everything we do with Oil, for example. Transferring energy instead of making it and using it where its needed, seems to be one way we can reduce the overall footprint as quickly as possible. Nuclear power requires not nearly as much massive support infrastructure as coal and oil, I feel. Sure: quite some, but with micro-reactors on the horizon, this may also miniaturize.

But what I really think is we should be focussing the effort on local energy need, far more seriously. Like, establish real neighborhood energy systems that use the energy that is in the neighborhood - if its solar, solar. If it is thermal: thermal. If it is wind: wind. If there are none of the above sources available for your house: MOVE!

All of the tech exists for an average house-hold to step off the grid, and it really is mostly a matter of minds being changed about the 'culturally acceptable reality' of how we manage our energy-driven lifestyles.

I, for one, welcome the day when I can compute without having to ever once plug my laptop in, because its case is in fact no longer a dull grey oil-debt, but rather instead a highly efficient solar panel, and I look forward to using a 'slow system' if the CPU itself has evolved into an extremely lean - yet fully functional - current sink that gets along with whatever sunshine is available. I yearn for a complete dirth of chemical-derived power for my computing needs.

Hopefully, the day will come when stepping off the Grid is as easy as, once, the revolution that occurred when millions of us were suddenly able to carry around 20,000 songs in our pocket, access any knowledge, anywhere, and talk to anyone we chose to, any time, at a flick of a swish ..