Nuclear Energy Energy of the Future or Imminent Disaster

Nuclear Energy: Energy of the Future or Imminent Disaster Background Since the year 1954 people have been faced with the conundrum of nuclear energy. This process though unfamiliar with some, is when decaying uranium heats water that then turns a turbine which produces energy. In the coming years nuclear energy is going to play a major part in the worlds energy consumption if we are to meet carbon goals. Though nuclear energy has been around for over fifty years the battle still wages on over its use throughout the world. Con When most people hear nuclear energy the first thing that comes to there mind is nuclear disasters. One of the most notable events that took place â€Å"On April 26, 1986,[when] human error resulted in an explosion at†¦show more content†¦Despite this â€Å"Industry representatives and federal officers have fought to build a single national waste repository at Yucca Mountain, in the Nevada desert. Recent studies, however, show that the mountain, formerly believed to be dry, may leak water, which would make it an unacceptable vault.† (Mark 5) With the vault not scheduled to open until 2021 the logistical nightmare of transporting the waste can still be worked on. This waste can also be reused as nuclear energy or refined to make a crude nuclear weapon. Even though â€Å"President Jimmy Carter banned the use of reprocessing technologies in all U.S. reactors in 1977, but such programs are still in operation in Japan, England, France, Russia, and India.† This rep rocessing could lead to unstable and dangerous nuclear rods. Though the more scary problem is that of proliferation which is the processes of nuclear power extracting â€Å"plutonium that can be used to make nuclear weapons. The final major problem with nuclear energy is that vast amount of capital required to construct such facilities. Once touted as power so cheap you won’t need a meter â€Å"In fact, it is almost too expensive to meter, due to its problems of design complexity, safety, security, and waste handling.† (Pearson 2) The extremely high cost of nuclear plants â€Å"therefore steal funds away from both more efficient energy sourcesShow MoreRelatedThe Nuclear Predicament1126 Words   |  5 PagesIn recent times, the issue of sustainable energy has resurfaced frequently in politics. The current popular energy sources used today include gasoline, coal, and other fossil fuels. These fossil fuels pollute the environment and contribute to various harmful effec ts. This energy source has sustained not only America, but also the entire world population for well over a century and has proven to have a very high energy output. Despite this output, the supply of fossil fuels is finite and becomingRead MoreNuclear Energy : The Future Of Power1330 Words   |  6 Pages Nuclear Energy: The Future of Power Energy runs the world. From cell phones to cars to computers, every technological advancement of the last millennium is dependent on one basic fundamental: the need for energy. However, within the last century, a global energy crisis has shocked the earth. Current power production methods pollute the environment, tearing ecosystems apart and destroying species. A clean, renewable, and powerful energy source is needed to survive. Nuclear energy is this sourceRead MoreThe Ethics Of The Chernobyl Nuclear Plant3439 Words   |  14 PagesChernobyl Nuclear Plant Introduction In the modern society, energy is considered one of our most valuable resources. Humanity has managed to tap several sources of energy and utilize it for their daily activities. Almost everything in the society is dependent on energy; otherwise, humanity would cease to exist. The sources of energy vary from firewood, solar energy, geothermal energy and nuclear energy. The sources vary depending on the amount of energy that can be harnessed. Nuclear energy is a controversialRead MoreEthos, Pathos and Nuclear Energy1265 Words   |  6 PagesEthos, Pathos and Nuclear Energy Something always curious and provoking happens in science writing. Gwyneth Cravens is an author of five novels and many publications, and one who studies a topic in great detail. She creates an enormous work about nuclear energy for the last decade. Cravens’s research in her last published book titled Power to Save the World: The Truth About Nuclear Energy has led her to do an about-face on the issue. In her article â€Å"Better Energy† which was published in May 2008Read MoreChernobyl: One of the Greatest Accidents the World Would Learn From1714 Words   |  7 PagesThe world has seen numerous engineering disasters and from each one, has gained insight to better prepare for future calamities. However, it is very difficult to fully foresee how an accident might occur just by looking back to past disasters. In addition, it is even harder to prepare for something that hasn’t even happened before. The Chernobyl accident is a prime example of an event that couldnâ €™t be fully prevented just by looking to past disasters or even predicting this exact accident. PsychologicalRead MoreFossil Fuels And Its Effects On The Environment1175 Words   |  5 Pages Fossil fuels, including coal, oil and natural gas, are currently the world s primary energy source. Fossil fuels have powered economic growth worldwide since the industrial revolution, but they are nonrenewable resources and can severely damage the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the burning of fossil fuels was responsible for 79 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2010. Although efficiency can help reduce emissions produced by the burning of fossil fuelsRead MoreNuclear Energy Can Prevent Climate Change Essay2901 Words   |  12 Pagesrelies heavily on foreign sources for the energy to run the country. The issue has received much media attention due to the political and economic implications it will have in the near future. This problem could at le ast be partially solved by using technology that already exists, rather than relying heavily on ones that have yet to come to fruition. America’s energy woes – specifically its reliance on fossil fuels – can be solved by reviving nuclear energy with the use of politics to tackle perceivedRead MoreNuclear Power: Problem or Solution2397 Words   |  10 PagesNuclear power is complicated. A nuclear power plant provides energy that does not contribute to global warming. Climate concerns have seen a rise in the construction of new reactors to address growing demands of electricity worldwide. Currently the United States and Canada receive 20% of their electric power from nuclear plants. The rest of the world is at 6% but rising. The benefits drive the nuclear energy movement and continue to do so and the proponents of nuclear power see this as an indispensableRead MoreHistory 175 Quiz 41448 Words   |  6 Pagesachieve dï ¿ ½tente with the Soviet Union. | 5.   The Tet Offensive was an important turning point for President Lyndon Johnson because    | the president had ignored intelligence that warned the attack was imminent. |    | military leaders refused to act on intelligence that the attack was imminent. |    | it underscored the credibility gap between official statements and the wars actual progress. |    | he was forced to cancel a planned visit to South Vietnam. | 6.   The movement in the UnitedRead MoreFossil Fuels : The World s Primary Energy Source1185 Words   |  5 Pages Fossil fuels, including coal, oil and natural gas, are currently the world s primary energy source. Formed from organic material over the course of millions of years, fossil fuels have fueled U.S. and global economic development over the past century. Yet fossil fuels are finite resources and they can also irreparably harm the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the burning of fossil fuels was responsible for 79 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2010. These