Energy diversity is where it's at. Each form of power has a different set of NIMBY problems. Different people will have stakes in different forms of power generation, which will distribute the political power of those interests.
I agree with the diversity point. I think it's perfectly valid of local communities to proclaim 'NIMBY', but at the same time, they should only be able to draw power locally. This way, local communities can decide what method of power generation suits them. I'm not so sure about the point about distributing political power. This is an extremely important issue - perhaps the most important one - and I doubt whether we've found a satisfactory solution yet.
We need to have wind, tidal, solar thermal, and next-gen nuclear.
First three, sure. 'Next-gen' nuclear though? There's nothing 'Next-gen' about nuclear. It's as eternally dangerous as ever. It's still the most expensive method of boiling water known to man. We still can't contain the waste, even for a decade. What's more, if some business guarantees that in 500 million years, their containment method will still be satisfactory, what kind of naive fool would take their word for it? They're not going to be around to hold accountable, are they? Let's put all this bullshit talk about 'clean' coal, 'next-gen' nuclear, 'ethical' business, and other oxymorons in the garbage, and work on proven clean, renewable technology, OK?