Harnessing Nuclear Power in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example

Harnessing nuclear power in Saudi Arabia Table of Contents INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………4 BENEFITS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY…………………………………...4 CHALLENGES…………………………………………………………….6 SOLUTIONS………………………………………………………………..8 CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………….10 RECOMMENDATIONS…………………………………………………..10 REFERENCES…………………………………………………………….11 List of Illustrations Figures Figure 1: Greenhouse gas emissions for non-fossil technologies…………..4 Figure 2: Greenhouse gas emissions for fossil technologies ………………5 Figure 3: The financial models of nuclear plants…………………………9 Tables Table 1: IAEA Fundamental safety principles………………………………7 Outline I. Introduction II. Benefits of Nuclear Energy A. Low carbon technology B. Energy supply security C. Nuclear desalination D. Production of hydrogen E. Extraction of oil F. Reduction of air pollution III. Challenges A. Radiation risks B. Nuclear wastes C. Initial costs D. Proliferation of nuclear weapons IV. Solutions A. Use of multiple cooling systems B. Geological formations C. Pursuing cheaper technologies D. Cooperating with international community V. Conclusion VI. Recommendations VII. References INTRODUCTION Nuclear power is one of the non-fossil technologies of generating electricity. The subject is of great importance because it is a potential solution to climate change, a threat to the future survival on earth. The problem with nuclear power is the potential disasters that can arise and also its diversion to non-peaceful purposes. The purpose of this essay is to examine some of the benefits and challenges that Saudi Arabia can encounter while harnessing nuclear power and also their possible solutions. Its scope is only limited to the very basic challenges that every country can face. It does not include specific issues such as the technologies needed in nuclear power reactors. BENEFITS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY Nuclear power is a low carbon technology. A comparison with other non-fossil technologies of generating electricity indicates that it is one of the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases. According to IAEA, nuclear power produces an average of 15 g CO2eq./KWh of electricity generated on a life cycle basis. On the other hand, hydroelectric power generation produces an average of 16 g CO2eq./KWh of electricity (IAEA, 2011, p. 11). Thus, nuclear energy can help Saudi Arabia to cut its emissions. Figure 1: Greenhouse gas emissions for non-fossil technologies (IAEA, 2011, p. 11) Figure 2: Greenhouse gas emissions for fossil technologies (IAEA, 2011, p. 11) Nuclear power is an energy supply security. If Saudi Arabia wants to strengthen its energy supply security, it has to increase the number and flexibility of the supply options. Because of the challenge of climate change, there is a need to select greener sources of energy. However, the options available to desert countries are limited; hydroelectric power generation may be unreliable. Nevertheless, the introduction and expansion of nuclear power increases the variety of energy supplies (IAEA, 2011, p. 15). Nuclear power can be used in the desalination of sea water. The process utilizes the excess power beyond that required for baseload operation. Desalination is an energy-intensive process. Most of the plants around the globe use fossil fuels as primary sources of energy. Consequently, they increase the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. A better solution is to use nuclear energy; the technology is already operational in India, China, and Japan. It is estimated that nuclear desalination can utilize 20% of energy from a 600-megawatt plant and produce 500 000 m3 of potable water per day (IAEA, 2011, p. 16-17). Nuclear energy is used in the production of hydrogen needed in transportation. Currently, there are various methods of producing hydrogen, but the most efficient techniques are thermochemical splitting and hydrolysis of water. Although thermochemical splitting of water is more efficient than hydrolysis, it needs a lot of energy. For instance, it requires temperatures between 7000 C and 10000 C. However, with nuclear desalination, the enormous energy needed can be obtained easily. In a nuclear plant, there is excess energy available in the form of heat, often beyond the baseload demands. The energy can be utilized to produce hydrogen (IAEA, 2011, p. 17). Nuclear power can be used in the extraction of oil. Currently, extracting and refining oil produces substantial quantities of carbon dioxide because the processes themselves utilize fossil fuels as energy sources. However, the emissions can be significantly reduced if nuclear energy is used to power the extraction and refining processes. Although it is not a direct replacement of fossil fuels, nuclear power can help to reduce dependence on such sources of energy (IAEA, 2011, p. 17). The use of nuclear energy can reduce air pollution. Normally, when a nuclear power plant is working, there are virtually no air pollutants emitted. Thus, nuclear power is a clean source of energy. In some countries, the levels of pollutants in the air exceed 70 μg/m3, much higher than the WHO safe limit of 20 μg/m3. Some of these pollutants come from the generation of electricity using fossil fuels. However, if nuclear energy is utilized, the levels of pollutants can significantly reduce (IAEA, 2011, p. 18). CHALLENGES Harnessing nuclear power comes with four major challenges: radiation risks, nuclear waste, initial costs, and proliferation of nuclear weapons. Radiation Risks The use of nuclear power has considerable radiation risks if leakages of radioactive materials occur. In an interview with Dr. Anas Alnajjar, professor of chemical engineering in KSU, it was clear that radiation risks are real even with the 21st century nuclear technology. According to him, there have been at least ten worst nuclear power plant disasters in Asia, Europe, and North America since 1950s. Some of them were caused by design flaws and human errors while others were triggered by natural disasters. The worst of all was the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, which released high levels of radiation into the air. Since then, great efforts have been made to improve safety of nuclear material. However, nuclear disasters still occur despite the high safety measures. For instance, in March 2011, a level 7 nuclear disaster occurred when the Japanese Fukushima Daiichi reactors were hit by a powerful tsunami. Therefore, whenever a nuclear power plant is set up, there is always a considerable risk of nuclear disaster occurring irrespective of the safety measures put in place (BBC, 2011). Nuclear Waste Harnessing nuclear energy generates enormous wastes that can be classified as low, intermediate, and high-level risks and also short or long-lived wastes. Nearly all the countries with nuclear power plants have sophisticated technologies for treating, storing, or disposing the short-lived intermediate-level nuclear wastes. However, the major challenge is storing or disposing the spent nuclear fuel, a highly radioactive substance. Normally, a nuclear power plant supplies energy for 60 years before decommissioning. In the course of its lifespan, enormous nuclear wastes pile up. These wastes are stored under controlled conditions for at least 70 years in order to allow the fission products to decay. Thus, after decommissioning a power plant, nuclear remains in the form of wastes will still exist for several years. Table 1: IAEA Fundamental safety principles (OECD, 2010, p. 16) Principle 1: Safety responsibility safety The organization or persons responsible for activities that produce radiation should be responsible Principle 8: Accident Prevention Concrete efforts aimed at preventing or lessening accidents must be made Initial Capital Constructing a nuclear power plant requires enormous capital. The construction of the facilities themselves takes several years to complete. Some countries, which do not have the necessary technology, have to rely on others, increasing the up-front costs. The importation of the fuel, mainly uranium, and its enrichment is also a complex process. Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Although nuclear power is a green source of energy, there is a considerable risk that nuclear material or technology could be diverted to non-peaceful purposes. “Some states may continue to claim they are embarking upon legitimate nuclear energy programs when they are actually seeking weapons, irrespective of the dominant nuclear energy technology” (Nordhaus, Lovering, & Shellenberger, 2014, p. 17). The 1968 non-proliferation treaty is the foundation against this major threat. The treaty requires countries to allow the inspection of their facilities by the IAEA. However, the presence of the treaty alone does prevent the production of nuclear weapons. Pursuing nuclear technology in some Middle East countries could create possible security threats. In 2011, most countries in the region experienced the Arab Spring. The revolution, which occurred in the form of popular uprising, caused the collapse of several autocratic regimes. Since then, calm has returned though there are a few countries that are yet to recover from the violence. Although Saudi Arabia was not directly affected by the uprising, there is no guarantee that it will not be affected in the future. Generally, the uprising raised concerns about the stability of governments in the region. Some governments are likely to collapse, making the control of nuclear material impossible. The greatest security challenge occurs when nuclear material gets into the hands of extremist groups. They can use to produce crude nuclear weapons that can be used to target perceived enemies. SOLUTIONS The risks associated with radiation leakage in nuclear reactors occur when the cooling systems fail. For instance, the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan occurred when the power supply to the cooling system was cut off by the tsunami. Although the reactors automatically went off, they could still release excess heat. Because they were not built to withstand enormous pressure and heat, they melted and released nuclear particles into the air. Despite the health risks created, the nuclear disaster provided important lessons that can be incorporated in the future designs of reactors (Holt, Campbell, & Nikitin, 2012, p. 3). Multiple cooling systems with multiple redundant pressurization mechanisms must be included in such designs to minimize the risk that the reactor will lose pressure and coolant, potentially causing a meltdown and release of radioactive material. Pressure vessels and containment systems must be capable of withstanding both high pressures and high temperatures in the event of the loss of pressurized coolant (Nordhaus, Lovering, & Shellenberger, 2014, p. 19). The problem of disposing nuclear wastes can be solved by recycling the spent fuel or disposing them in stable geological formations. The geological medium is considered a future solution to radioactive wastes. The idea involves storing radioactive nuclear wastes in some stable rocks deep beneath the earth crust. Access channels, usually several kilometers deep, are dug into the selected rock. The underground facilities and access channels act as storage sites (IAEA, 2011, p. 30). The challenge of the initial costs of starting a nuclear reactor can be addressed by pursuing cheaper technologies. In most cases, the high costs emanate from the designs of the reactors themselves. For instance, reactors that “operate at very high pressures is one of the key drivers of the high cost of present-day nuclear technologies” (Nordhaus, Lovering, & Shellenberger, 2014, p. 19). Such a problem can be addressed by using reactors that can operate at ambient pressure. The low-cost reactors utilize coolants that can work at the surrounding pressures and high temperatures. The up-front cost reduction can be achieved by minimizing financial risks and structuring projects using appropriate project models and ownership. In this case, the government shoulders a significant portion of the up-front cost. Thereafter, the public can be encouraged to invest (IEA & NEA, 2010, p. 37). Figure 3: The financial models of nuclear plants (IAEA, 2011, p. 23) The prevention of the proliferation of weapons can be achieved by ratifying the 1968 treaty. If Saudi Arabia informs IAEA about its nuclear ambitions, it will “provide credible assurances to the international community that nuclear material and other specified items [will] not [be] diverted from peaceful nuclear activities” (IAEA, 2011, p. 31). In addition to this, Saudi Arabia must have a stable central government in order to guarantee non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. CONCLUSION In brief, it is possible for Saudi Arabia to harness nuclear power for its domestic use. Some of the benefits include emission reduction, nuclear desalination, hydrogen production, oil extraction, and energy supply security. Some challenges such as nuclear disasters and proliferation of weapons can be avoided through the cooperation with the international community. RECOMMENDATIONS Solving the problem of potential nuclear disasters is not an easy task. There is a possibility that nuclear power will be the most reliable source of energy in the future. Thus, if Saudi Arabia pursues its nuclear ambitions, it should consider the following. 1. Cooperating with the international community in order to guarantee the proliferation of nuclear weapons 2. Utilizing the latest reactor technology in order to minimize potential disasters occurring due to cooling system failure. 3. Storing radioactive wastes in geological formations. References BBC. (2011, September 12). Timeline: Nuclear plant accidents. Retrieved October 28, 2014 from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-13047267 Holt, M., Campbell, R., & Nikitin, M.B. (2012, January 18). Fukushima nuclear disaster. Retrieved October 28, 2014 from http://fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/R41694.pdf International Atomic Energy Agency. (2011). Nuclear power and climate change 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2014 from http://www.iaea.org/OurWork/ST/NE/Pess/assets/11-43751_ccnp_brochure.pdf International Energy Agency & Nuclear Energy Agency. (2010). Technology roadmap: nuclear energy. Retrieved October 28, 2014 from http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/nuclear_roadmap.pdf Nordhaus, T., Lovering, J., & Shellenberger, M. (2014, June). How to make nuclear cheap. Retrieved October 28, 2014 from http://thebreakthrough.org/images/pdfs/Breakthrough_Institute_How_to_Make_Nuclear_Cheap.pdf OECD. 2010. Comparing nuclear accident risks with those from other energy sources. Retrieved October 28, 2014 from http://www.oecd-nea.org/ndd/reports/2010/nea6862-comparing-risks.pdf Read More