Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power
As a result of the current global warming issues and the ever growing scarcity of our current energy resources we may be forced to resort to nuclear energy. The Department of Energy has already given its support to energy companies who have decided to construct nuclear power plants. It appears that nuclear power is the right course to take, but before this decision is finalised it is important to weigh the multiple advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power. There are many pros and cons, but they weigh up almost equally which makes it a hard decision to choose the right course of action, nuclear power or non-nuclear power.
The first step to deciding on the use of nuclear power entails looking at its pros. These advantages include its low carbon emissions, its containable waste products, its low cost technological research, and its abundant supply of energy.
Abundant supply of electrical energy at lower costs. Uranium can be used instead of oil to produce electrical energy. A ton of uranium can release significant amounts of energy once it undergoes the process of nuclear fission. By nuclear fission, the mere splitting of atomic nuclei can go into a series of chain reactions that can produce great amounts of energy to be converted into electricity. Coal heated power plants require millions times more fuel to create an equal amount of energy as one ton of uranium.
A very low amount of carbon emissions are created from nuclear power. Since there is no fuel burning process involved in a nuclear reactor, the amount of carbon emission released from nuclear power plants is less than a hundredth of the carbon emissions released by the fuel burning power plants such as coal heated power plants.
Nuclear wastes can be contained and controlled. This is unlike carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions which are released in the atmosphere beyond human control. Carbon dioxide emissions have been the biggest factor that affect global warming conditions.
Nuclear
The first step to deciding on the use of nuclear power entails looking at its pros. These advantages include its low carbon emissions, its containable waste products, its low cost technological research, and its abundant supply of energy.
Abundant supply of electrical energy at lower costs. Uranium can be used instead of oil to produce electrical energy. A ton of uranium can release significant amounts of energy once it undergoes the process of nuclear fission. By nuclear fission, the mere splitting of atomic nuclei can go into a series of chain reactions that can produce great amounts of energy to be converted into electricity. Coal heated power plants require millions times more fuel to create an equal amount of energy as one ton of uranium.
A very low amount of carbon emissions are created from nuclear power. Since there is no fuel burning process involved in a nuclear reactor, the amount of carbon emission released from nuclear power plants is less than a hundredth of the carbon emissions released by the fuel burning power plants such as coal heated power plants.
Nuclear wastes can be contained and controlled. This is unlike carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions which are released in the atmosphere beyond human control. Carbon dioxide emissions have been the biggest factor that affect global warming conditions.
Nuclear