Enthusiasm based on wrong expectations: BKW's failed transition to nuclear energy production (1970

Diplôme Master Enthusiasm based on wrong expectations: BKW's failed transition to nuclear energy production (1970 – 1990) eng 2021-09-08 author Dietsche Dario Tom 807746 director O'Sullivan Mary 724482 100 How is a clean energy transition away from fossil fuels to be achieved? This paper tracks this burning question back to the 1970s and 1980s when nuclear energy was in the center of attention. Following a holistic case study approach, the nuclear project of the major Swiss electricity company BKW is investigated. Why had nuclear electricity turned from BKW's most promising field of business into its main business problem? This paper argues that the company's nuclear project was based on two wrong expectations: continuous growth of electricity consumption and decreasing average costs of production. In addition, three more general conclusions are drawn: 1) technical insights alone do not overcome fossil dependency, 2) capitalist logic poses the key obstacle to a clean energy transition, and 3) saving the planet requires a globally planned, democratically owned economy. Clean energy transition Nuclear energy 1970 1990 Swiss electricity company BKW Nuclear electricity Electricity consumption Average costs of production Overcome fossil dependency Capitalist logic Saving the planet Dewey 330 Dewey 330.9 Master en histoire économique internationale 123 Département d'histoire, économie et société T5 193 Institut d'histoire économique Paul Bairoch TE false 48b7d769-f9ca-40b9-9376-5678e85e6218 Master thesis Public Master_Thesis_Dario_Dietsche_Final_.pdf 1307477 application/pdf openAccess Faculté des sciences de la société / Département d'histoire, économie et société Faculté des sciences de la société / Institut d'histoire économique Paul Bairoch

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Enthusiasm based on wrong expectations: BKW's failed transition to nuclear energy production (1970 – 1990)				2021	230	279

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Dietsche, Dario Tom