Instead, spent fuel rods are stored at power plants as they await a longer-term fate. Even the much-heralded breeder reactors still produce radioactive waste, albeit less than their predecessors. Nuclear waste presents both an engineering problem and a social problem, because most people want nuclear waste to go somewhere far away from them. For the industry to find a credible path forward, unresolved waste, economic, national security, and sociopolitical concerns need to be resolved. Given the long lead-time for developing new nuclear reactors and the sky-high costs relative to other energy options, the nuclear option remains a tough sell for many private investors.
The massive investments, long lead-time, and lack of public enthusiasm make for a continued tough road ahead for nuclear energy in the U. But that alone is insufficient. Considerable progress in energy storage is needed to bring renewable energy into the hard-to-fix areas of the energy system, like multi-day cloudy or cold spells, steelmaking, and burgeoning energy demand globally. The necessary gains in renewable energy will be possible only if there is public will and substantial investment.
Turning to nuclear energy, several of the same things are true. There is no existing technology that can get the job done. Serious improvements are needed, the price tag is unknown, and the timeline is worryingly long. Many nuclear plants are shutting down. Will fossil fuels replace them? Unlike some current political debates, energy is not a simple up-or-down vote. Perhaps the worst kind of magical thinking is that the climate crisis is solvable without creative and large-scale action.
While we can argue about the details ad infinitum, perhaps we can also agree to stay focused on the end goal, dream big, and move forward boldly. Karin Kirk is a geologist and freelance writer with a background in climate education.
She's a scientist by training, but the human elements of climate change occupy most of her current work. Karin is More by Karin Kirk. Root of the problem: Need for non-intermittent energy Progress in greening the U. Is conventional nuclear on the way out in the U. New nuclear designs are in the works For the most part, advocates for the future of nuclear energy generally are not suggesting the building of more of the types of plants operating today.
Here are some concepts in the development of advanced nuclear power. The mining and enrichment of uranium are not environmentally friendly processes. Open-pit mining for uranium is safe for miners but leaves behind radioactive particles, causes erosion, and even pollutes nearby sources of water.
Nuclear power presents a unique threat to our national security because it is powered by nuclear energy. Terrorists might target nuclear power plants with the intention of creating a disaster, and the uranium used to produce the power can be turned into nuclear weapons if they end up in the wrong hands. For these reasons, security surrounding nuclear materials and nuclear power plants is extremely important. There might be some important pros and cons of nuclear energy, but one of the most important considerations to keep in mind is that nuclear energy is dependent on uranium and thorium to produce energy.
Ultimately, nuclear power is only a temporary solution with a very high price tag. What Is Nuclear Energy? Low Cost of Operation After the initial cost of construction, nuclear energy has the advantage of being one of the most cost-effective energy solutions available. Reliable Source of Energy While some energy sources are dependent upon weather conditions, like solar and wind power, nuclear energy has no such constraints.
Sufficient Fuel Availability Like fossil fuels, the uranium used to supply nuclear power plants is in limited supply. It Has High Energy Density On our list of the pros and cons of nuclear energy, this pro is quite astounding.
Expensive to Build Despite being relatively inexpensive to operate, nuclear power plants are incredibly expensive to build—and the cost keeps rising. Accidents One of the first things most people think of when they hear nuclear power plant is the disaster at Chernobyl. Impact on the Environment Nuclear power plants have a greater impact on the environment than just the waste they produce. Security Threat Nuclear power presents a unique threat to our national security because it is powered by nuclear energy.
Limited Fuel Supply There might be some important pros and cons of nuclear energy, but one of the most important considerations to keep in mind is that nuclear energy is dependent on uranium and thorium to produce energy. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email. Related Posts. October 6th, September 21st, August 25th, August 4th, July 28th, Go to Top. Going down the nuclear route would mean that poor countries, that don't have the financial resources to invest in and develop nuclear power, would become reliant on rich, technologically advanced nations.
Alternatively, poor nations without experience in the building and maintaining of nuclear plants may decide to build them anyway. Countries with a history of nuclear power use have learned the importance of regulation, oversight, and investment in safety when it comes to nuclear. Peter Bradford of Vermont Law, a former member of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, writes, "A world more reliant on nuclear power would involve many plants in countries that have little experience with nuclear energy, no regulatory background in the field and some questionable records on quality control, safety and corruption.
The U. Please also see the piece Nuclear Energy is not a Climate Solution. Anspaugh, Gilbert W. Drozdovitch, Vera Garber, Yuri I. Gavrilin, Valeri T. Khrouch, Arthur V. Kuvshinnikov, Yuri N. Kuzmenkov, Victor P. Minenko, Konstantin V. Moschik, Alexander S. Nalivko, Jacob Robbins, Elena V.
Shemiakina, Sergei Shinkarev, Svetlana I. Tochitskaya, Myron A. Waclawiw, and Andre Bouville. Leukemia in the proximity of a boiling-water nuclear reactor: Evidence of population exposure by chromosome studies and environmental radioactivity.
Environmental Health Perspectives : World Nuclear Industry, July Water is life. Some of us drink it straight from our faucet without a second thought. Others go to great lengths to buy enough jugs or bottles from the store to always have on hand. Green America's website is sponsored by Green America members and.
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