Existing Nuclear Power Plants May Be Renewable Energys Best Friend by Pere Kelly-Detwiler - Article Example

This paper analyses the article, “Existing Nuclear Power Plants May Be Renewable Energy’s Best Friend,” authored by Pere Kelly-Detwiler. Basically, this article calls for critical consideration for the appropriate remedy to the deteriorating nuclear energy production. Since the currently available alternatives to nuclear energy are carbon-emitting, Kelly-Detwiler (2014) proposes a reconsideration of closing down nuclear power plants in the US. This is an important article as it fosters the need for balance between the need to resort to emergent cheaper energy sources but which are carbon-emitting and the need to maintain the slowly obsoleting nuclear power plants which are carbon-free.

Nuclear energy contributes 20% of the energy produced in the US. However, the nuclear industry is struggling following delayed construction of nuclear plants and ballooning costs of setting up new modern plants. Additionally, the industry faces intense competition from cheaper alternative energy sources. However, these sources emit carbon thus environmentally unfriendly (Kelly-Detwiler, 2014). Thus, politicians, energy companies and engineering outfits campaign for revamping of the industry until the country has energy alternatives that would not harm the environment.

In this article, Kelly-Detwiler (2014) appreciates the need for cheaper alternative energy sources but at the same time the need to protect the environment. Whereas new cheaper energy generating technologies are emerging, they emit carbon.