Benefits of nuclear energy

13 Posts
Mar 15, 2011 02:02 pm
Benefits of nuclear energy

Why choose nuclear energy:
Nuclear energy when harnessed properly can be used as an efficient source of energy to generate electricity. Though most people live under the fear of a nuclear holocaust, nuclear energy can be utilized in a very environment friendly manner.
Nuclear energy today is America’s second largest source of electricity after coal. The country has over 100 nuclear energy plants which are able to supply more energy than the country’s sources of oil, natural gas or hydropower can provide.
Nuclear power and the electricity that it generates is one of America’s secrets to success. Though the population and the American economy have grown in the past years, the energy consumption has grown by only 10%. The utilization of nuclear energy means that the country uses a smaller amount of fossil fuels.

How nuclear power is generated:
Nuclear reactors generate power by the process of nuclear fission of uranium. Unlike the burning of fossil fuels, this does not release any harmful byproducts into the atmosphere. This means that the production of electricity by nuclear sources does not release nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, dust or greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.

The advantage of using nuclear power:
The environmental benefit of adopting nuclear power is far reaching. In America alone, the use of Nuclear power means that electric utility emissions of greenhouse gases is reduced by 20 percent, or 128 trillion tons per year. In France, after the adoption of nuclear power lead to reduction of SO2 and NOX levels by 71% and 60% respectively.

Disposal of nuclear waste:
Though the public may be concerned over the disposal of nuclear waste, this cost is included in the cost of electricity as well. Nuclear power operators are charged 0.1 cent per KW-Hr for the disposal of nuclear waste. In fact it has been said that the volume of waste generated from running an all electric household for thirty years would fit into a cigarette package.

The bigger picture:
Looking at the holistic picture it is easy to determine that with care and precaution, nuclear power can be an efficient and environment friendly source of power. In comparison to other fossil fuel sources, nuclear power is cheap. The price of nuclear energy is also considered to be more stable than the fluctuating price of oil. Another bonus is the fact that uranium is not only easily available, but it can be stockpiled as well.

France is another country that has aggressively employed the utilization of nuclear power. France started work on it nuclear program since 1973. Today it has around 59 nuclear plants generating around 78% of the country’s electricity.
« Last Edit: Jul 18, 2011 12:16 pm by Chris Kadar »
 
99 Posts
Mar 15, 2011 08:03 pm
Re: Benefits of nuclear energy

What the EPA and nuclear industry won't tell you -- there are elevated levels of radioisotopes in the soil and plants for miles around all (operating to spec and code) nuclear plants, and in some nearby drinking water systems, including Tritium, Cesium-137, and Strontium-90, which have half-lives from 12 to in excess of 30 years, which means that they will be around for hundreds of years after they are released. Exposure to even a small amount is damaging to biological tissues and can result in an increased risk of cancer.

Reactors also release isotopes of Krypton, Xenon, and Argon, which are fat-soluble and if inhaled by persons living near a nuclear reactor, are absorbed through the lungs, migrating to the fatty tissues of the body, including the abdominal fat pad and upper thighs, near the reproductive organs. These radioactive elements, which emit high-energy gamma radiation, can mutate the genes in the eggs and sperm and cause genetic disease. Tritium forms a kind of radioactive water which can be absorbed into the body and incorporated into the DNA molecules, where it is mutagenic. Moreover, Strontium-90 is mistaken for calcium and Cesium-137 is mistaken for potassium by living organisms and taken up as part of the fluid electrolytes and deposited in teeth and bones. This means that it is passed up the food chain and concentrated from the environment into higher organisms, including people, similar to how DDT was concentrated from insects into a raptor epidemic.

So, while individual environmental readings at any one time won't be high enough to report to the EPA or NRC (who claims that the radiation released by these isotopes is little more than that of normal background sources), the effect is cumulative and deadly. As time goes on, more and more people will be exposed to high levels of radiation, which will eventually become an epidemic. And this exponential process will be accelerated geometrically with the construction of more nuclear plants.

But neither environmentalists nor those in the nuclear industry will admit this to the public. And the EPA is in their pocket. But the Radiation and Public Health Project, a non-profit and non-government organization, has found that childhood cancer rates have increased significantly in the counties surrounding nuclear plants in the years after they began operation. Other studies have come to similar conclusions.

And remember that all of these risks exist without even factoring in the risks from natural or man-made disasters.  As we've seen in Japan, the risks are simply not worth it.  I would be extremely vocal against any new proposed nuclear plants closer than a few dozen miles, particularly upwind from me.

I don't think we should even be looking to use the centralized generation and distribution system in the future, but if we do, natural gas is the way to go.  We have hundreds of years worth right here in the U.S. and it is quite clean.

Better would be to transition to a distributed power infrastructure with residential or neighborhood renewable (wind/solar/hydro) or natural gas co-generation.  Dismantle the costly and inefficient grid.
 
13 Posts
May 2, 2011 05:37 am
Re: Benefits of nuclear energy

Thanks for your reply and more useful information.
 
462 Posts
May 4, 2011 10:29 am
Re: Benefits of nuclear energy

Don't forget, solar is a nuclear energy.......
 
1 Posts
Jul 15, 2011 03:38 am
Re: Benefits of nuclear energy

Solar panels make use of sunlight to produce electricity. Hence it is a clean and an eco- friendly means to produce electricity. A solar panel is essentially an interrelated assembly of several photovoltaic cells that are usually positioned to face the sun which captures energy from sunlight. The cells are connected to a DC/AC inverter system which produces electricity for both residential and commercial users.
« Last Edit: Jul 18, 2011 12:16 pm by Chris Kadar »
 
2 Posts
Sep 17, 2011 12:41 pm
Re: Benefits of nuclear energy

Thx for all the info is very useful to me, after reading it, really the solar is equal to the nuclear thing
 
1 Posts
Oct 16, 2011 03:04 pm
Re: Benefits of nuclear energy

Just because we (and I include myself) scientists discover something- does not mean we should implement it on a mass scale.
Let's see.. "Let's take a nuclear bomb and start to explode it, but contain it in a cement and metal container. That should be safe".
We've been doing nuclear energy for 40 years and already have had horrible repercussions from using it. One of the most disciplined and technologically advanced societies on earth (Japan) couldn't handle it safely. Then there is the arrogance of trying to contain thousands of tons of radioactive waste for thousands of years. Our civilization may die off in a non-nuclear way, but some other fledgling society may evolve - and accidentally dig up a radioactive waste site- and all perish. That is unconscionable disregard for life. Solar is efficient, safe and a proven technology. It is a simple and elegant answer to a huge problem. The lack of political will avail ourselves of it- is simply because it does away with your monthly bill. There is much more money to be made in poisoning people and creating wars over energy. The 99% of us suffer from this.
 

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