Nuclear Power

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Nuclear power is a technology that has enormous benefits for humankind. As the demand for energy is only continuing to grow, it has become important to develop energy technology that has good yield and minimal negative side effects. After the harnessing of the atom for use in nuclear weapons, the knowledge of how to exploit the atom became incorporated in nuclear power plants (Corradini 1). These use uranium fuel in a process that releases tremendous amounts of energy to be captured, but also that creates minimal waste and other byproducts. Despite these, the benefits of nuclear energy outweigh any disadvantages, as seen by its high energy output, reliability, and minimal environmental impact when compared to energy sources such as fossil fuels. Due in large part to its high energy output, nuclear power is a feasible and practical technology for meeting the world’s energy needs. For example, global energy demand has been continually increasing, with a 66% growth between 1980 and 2007; this demand is expected to increase by 40% by 2030 (World-Nuclear.org). As a testament to nuclear power’s utility as an energy source, it currently provides a large amount of global electricity: nuclear power met 20% of the global demand of electricity as of 2008 (Abu-Khader). This power generation is spread across 30 countries and is a result of 436 nuclear power plants (Adamantiades). The 20% figure also represents the United States’ dependence on nuclear power for generating its electricity. France, however, has a drastically higher dependence on this type of energy source due to its economic practicality, relying on it to meet 80% of its electricity demand (Mufson). Other countries like France include: Lithuania, Slovakia, and Belgium... ... middle of paper ... ...r. 2012. Adamantiades, A., and I. Kessides. "Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Current Status and Future Prospects." Energy Policy (2009). ScienceDirect. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Connor, Steve. "Nuclear Power? Yes Please..." The Independent. The Independent, 23 Feb. 2009. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. Corradini, Michael. "Nuclear Energy." World Book Student. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Mufson, Steven. "Nuclear Power Primed for Comeback." The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2007. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. Niiler, Eric. "Is Thorium the Future of Nuclear Power?" MSNBC.com. MSNBC, 07 Oct. 2011. Web. 04 May 2012. Reiss, Spencer. "Face It. Nukes Are the Most Climate-Friendly Industrial-Scale Form of Energy." Wired Magazine. Condé Naste, 19 May 2008. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. "World Energy Needs and Nuclear Power." World-Nuclear.org. World Nuclear Association, Dec. 2011. Web. 5 Apr. 2012.

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