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Choosing your energy sources, choosing your future

Bertrand Barré
AREVA

Give us a three-point definition of a "clean energy"

There is no form of energy that doesn't involve some kind of nuisance. But the worst nuisance is a shortage, because development—sustainable or otherwise—requires a minimum amount of energy. That said, to answer in three points, a "clean energy" must not pollute either the air we breathe, the water we drink or the earth on which we grow our food. In short, its production and use must have a minimal impact on our health and the environment in which we live. To assess these different points, we have to look at normal conditions, but also possible accidents and the entire "life cycle" of installations that supply us with energy. I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that the French Academy of Medicine declared in June 1999 that nuclear power was one of the sources of energy that has the least impact on health and the environment.