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Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy essay
Nuclear power cons
Pros and cons of nuclear energy
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Foreword Nuclear Energy has many proponents and much opposition. Many of the groups that oppose nuclear power have legitimate concerns, mainly with the dangers of nuclear material in relation with human health concerns and environmental troubles that are risked by allowing nuclear power plants to increase in number. Yet, many of these opposition groups have made outspoken and radical claims about the “hidden” motives of why nuclear power is promoted and subsidized by our federal government. For example, The Nuclear Information and Resource Service claim that the federal government has the intention of committing genocide against Native Americans because uranium mining is predominantly done on reservations. Another cry out by nuclear power opponents is the constant reliving of the few nuclear mishaps that occurred decades ago, at Chernobyl or Three Mile Island. No doubt, past accidents have happened worldwide and are important reminders to not play around with nuclear material, but technology has improved as well, a fact opponents fail to consider. Many of these organizations feel that other sources should be used to supply America’s energy needs. These types of statements tag many opponents to nuclear energy as misinformed, out of touch with scientific facts, or just closed minded to the whole concept of nuclear power. On the other hand, the proponents of nuclear energy like President Bush see it as cheap, and environmentally friendly. As a result, President Bush passed the Comprehensive Energy Bill in 2005 that would increase production of all types of energy, including nuclear, by giving subsidies and tax breaks to nuclear power producers. Keeping safe America’s capabilities for generating electric power by way of nuclear e... ... middle of paper ... ... Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall FEMA (2006). Are You Ready? Retrieved November 12, 2012 from http://www.fema.gov/areyouready International Nuclear Safety Center (2008). Maps of Nuclear Power Reactors Retrieved November 12, 2012 http://www.insc.anl.gov/pwrmaps/map/united_states.php NIRS (2008). Top 11 Reasons to Oppose Nuclear Power Retrieved November 14, 2012 from http://www.nirs.org/nukerelapse/background/ Parenti, Christian (2008). What Nuclear Renaissance? Retrieved November 10, 2012 from http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080512/parenti Uranium Producers of America (2008). Promoting the Viability of Domestic Uranium Retrieved November 7, 2012 http://www.uraniumproducersamerica.com/supply.html U. S. Department of Energy (2008). Safe handling and disposal of spent nuclear fuel Retrieved November 18, 2012 http://www.ocrwm.doe.gov/
Beginning in the 1940’s, the global landscape was changing dramatically. With the start of World War II, tensions were rising among the world’s most powerful nations. Russia, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, and the United States were all trying to achieve global dominance. During World War II, the smart decision to invest in atomic energy made the United States a global superpower.
(Action): If we don’t do our part to stop the expansion of nuclear power plants, the future of our planet will be bleaker. Every year, thousands of more pounds of nuclear waste will be buried underground and the damage to our environment increases. There are more efficient energy sources other than nuclear power and we must do our part today to prevent a catastrophic future for our children. The dangers that nuclear power plants pose for the United States are very real. There are many alternative renewable sources of energy available to us such as wind and solar power, which provide a much safer and efficient alternative to nuclear power. You alone have the power to speak up and act against the expansion of this dangerous energy. The future of our environment’s safety and our nation’s energy supply lies in your hands.
...nce World War II to the present day, the technology of nuclear power has increased significantly in terms of energy output and safety. The energy efficiency of nuclear power is far superior to its counterpart fossil fuel and renewable energy. Compared to fossil fuels, tiny amounts of fuel used by nuclear reactors is equivalent to a large sum of coal. This is a no brainer. Why mine a ton of coal when a little uranium can be used to gain the same amount of energy? Not only is it efficient, it’s safe to use. Used fuel is packed away in storage safely, so there isn’t any chance of radiation leaking out. In the present day, nuclear power incidents haven’t been occurring lately. Advancements in technology and equipment used have made nuclear energy a very reliable and safe source of energy. With today’s energy needs, nuclear power has the ability to keep up in the race.
...for nuclear power has declined as support for renewable energy has increased. Though nuclear power produces zero energy and is seen by many as a cheap way to reduce the world’s carbon emissions (Kessides 2012), several major factors have affected its support amongst the general population. Incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima have forever shifted support away from nuclear power (Burton 2006, Cyranoski & Brumfiel 2011) as governments shift support to renewable energy sources that do not pose the same risk.
Despite the fact the countries continue to increase the production of nuclear energy, my position is that new nuclear power plants should not continue to be built. The current use of nuclear power should be carefully evaluated with a plan to slowly decrease production throughout the world. The negative implications to the environment and economy support my position.
Nuclear Energy is a method of creating electricity by heating water from nuclear reactions. The process allows for large quantities of electricity to be created from very little nuclear fuel. Nuclear Energy creates only a fraction of the world’s energy production; this is because many people are fearful of the possibility of a meltdown or any other form of a nuclear disaster. However, even with all the disadvantages and hazards Nuclear Energy creates, it could become the most beneficial form of energy in the future.
Nuclear energy has, for some time, been a controversial issue. With incidents like that of Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and the more recent complications caused by the earthquake and tsunami Fukushima reactors in Japan, concern about the safety of nuclear energy has become a major issue. A lot of this concern probably exists because of a lack of information and education about both radiation and its effects. It is my belief that nuclear power is no less safe than any other form of energy generation, and can produce significant amounts of power.
The use of nuclear power in the mid-1980s was not a popular idea on account of all the fears that it had presented. The public seemed to have rejected it because of the fear of radiation. The Chernobyl accident in the Soviet Union in April of 1986 reinforced the fears, and gave them an international dimension (Cohen 1). Nevertheless, the public has to come to terms that one of the major requirements for sustaining human progress is an adequate source of energy. The current largest sources of energy are the combustion of coal, oil, and natural gas. Fear of radiation may push nuclear power under the carpet but another fear of the unknown is how costly is this going to be? If we as the public have to overcome the fear of radiation and costly project, we first have to understand the details of nuclear energy. The known is a lot less scary then the unknown. If we could put away all the presumptions we have about this new energy source, then maybe we can understand that this would be a good decision for use in the near future.
Many people on Earth are using electricity right now. Almost everything in this world needs electricity, such as computers, phones, lights, and factories. Electricity didn’t just appear out of nowhere, it has to come from somewhere. There are many ways to produce electricity, some of them are nuclear, coal, wind, solar, and water energy. Nuclear energy produce electricity through the splitting of uranium atom. Electricity can also be produced through the burning of coal. Wind produce electricity when wind makes the windmills spin. Water produce electricity through the spinning of the turbine in a water dam. Solar energy comes from sunlight, solar panels can turn sunlight into electricity. Out of these five energy sources, nuclear energy would be the most efficient source for producing electricity.
When the word nuclear reactor is mentioned in passing today, it is usually associated with giant, concrete cooling towers emitting torrents of steam, a mushroom cloud rising high into the sky, or even Homer Simpson asleep at the control panel. Nuclear energy is so much more than that. When first discovered it was praised as being a low-cost, low mission alternative to fossil fuels, which is extremely good for the entire, but today with the threat of nuclear meltdowns, safety has become a key issue. ”In the United States, 104 nuclear power plants supply 20% of the electricity overall, with some states benefiting more than others.” (Brain, Lamb 1) With that many reactors in the United States alone, people have a right to know if operations are conducted safely. That information can be quite worrying to some, but when we actually look at the track record of nuclear power, another side is told. In the World Nuclear Association’s Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors it states there have been two major reactor accidents in the history of civil nuclear power - Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. One was contained without harm...
Nuclear power, the use of exothermic nuclear processes to produce an enormous amount of electricity and heat for domestic, medical, military and industrial purposes i.e. “By the end of 2012 2346.3 kilowatt hours (KWh) of electricity was generated by nuclear reactors around the world” (International atomic energy agency Vienna, 2013, p.13). However, with that been said it is evident that the process of generating electricity from a nuclear reactor has numerous health and environmental safety issues.
For almost one hundred years, nuclear energy has powered the world with little to no consequences. These consequences though, can be monumental. Nuclear energy is the costliest power system to start up, and due to its strict safety procedures, it is very expensive to keep reactors in safe operating condition. (Buzz) This potential danger has been the death of millions of people over the century, with the single most deadly being the Chernobyl incident of 1986. Nuclear energy may have its good side, but with its high cost, potential for catastrophe, and its impractical waste, it is not good for any type of consistent energy production.
Media coverage of such cases have made the public less comfortable with the idea of moving further towards nuclear power and they only opt for reducing human activities to reduce global warming. It is true that there have been some notable disasters involving nuclear power, but compared to other power systems, nuclear power has an impressive track record. First, it is less harmful and second, it will be able to cater for the growing world population. Nuclear power produces clean energy and it delivers it at a cost that is competitive in the energy market (Patterson). According to the US Energy Information Administration, there are currently 65 such plants in the Unite States (National Research Council). They produce 19 percent of the total US energy generation.
Andrew Koke English Honors 1 Mrs. Turner 5 March 2014 Nuclear Energy: Agree or Disagree? Have you ever wondered which is more significant: The advantages or disadvantages of nuclear power? Many people think nuclear energy is a great energy source to use, but others disagree and think it is too risky. Are you someone that is scared to use nuclear energy because of its disadvantages, or are you someone who thinks nuclear energy is a good source of energy? This paper will convey both sides of the issue and allow you, the reader, to decide.
Contrary to popular belief, there are advantages to nuclear energy as opposed to power by fossil fuels. The largest misunderstanding about nuclear power is that it is extremely dangerous. However, no American has ever died or been severely injured due to nuclear power plants, and worldwide the numbers are also very small. In contrast, on average 10,000 to 50,000 Americans die per year from respiratory problems due to working with coal, and about 300 Americans die per year due to mining and transportation accidents of fossil fuels- and that is only in America [Jiskha]! In addition, nuclear power plants in the United States are strictly regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and all power plant employees are highly trained. Between the NRC and ...