Nuclear Power as a Green and Sustainable Energy Source - Literature review Example

Nuclear Power as a ‘Green’ and Sustainable Energy Source Introduction The origin of humanity’s quest for energy sources started at the penultimate sources – the sun. It is a natural reaction to use the earth’s resources in search for life’s comfort and development. Resources such as wind, water, and wood were innovatively used to create energy needed to provide warmth, cook food, and assist in work-related tasks, to explore the world and to travel in far away lands, to manufacture, produce and develop. Concurrently, technological growth and advancement required magnanimous amounts of sources of energy that created the risk of nearly exhausting the natural sources of fuel. The result is to look for alternative and renewable energy sources to ensure a sustainable amount is left to fuel the world in the future. In the process of searching for renewable and alternative fuel sources, drastic changes in conditions of the climate in various parts of the world were experienced, partly due to irresponsible handling of natural resources. Industrialization, despite its benefits of growth, urbanization and technological advancement, directly contribute to the rise in greenhouse gases. According to Kim, et.al. (2010), greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), water vapor, and fluorinated gases which all act as a “greenhouse around the earth.  This means that they let the heat from the Sun into the atmosphere, but do not allow the heat to escape back into space.  The more greenhouse gases there are, the larger the percentage of heat that is trapped inside the earth’s atmosphere” (Kim, et.al 2010, par. 2). In this regard, this essay is written to focus on nuclear power as a ‘green’ energy option. The discourse aims to discuss whether or not nuclear power can indeed be seen as a ‘green’ and sustainable energy source. Initially, the paper would describe nuclear power as an energy source, particularly detailing how it works and the advantages and disadvantages associated with using it. Likewise, other relevant issues surrounding the use of nuclear power as the energy source of the future would be presented. Nuclear Power The Nuclear Energy & Science for the Twenty-First Century (NESTFC) (2003) defined nuclear energy as the “energy that is generated through the use of Uranium…created through chemical reactions that involve the splitting or merging of the atoms of nuclei together. The process of splitting an atom’s nucleus is termed fission, and the process of merging the nuclei if atoms is termed merging” (NESTFC 2003, pars. 1 & 2). More simply put, nuclear power is defined by the Britannica Concise Dictionary as “energy produced by nuclear fission of heavy atomic nuclei” (Britannica 2008). The process of fission of the nucleus of the atom in significant amounts is the critical reaction to produce nuclear energy sources from nuclear power plants. Through time, this source of energy had received tremendous notoriety due to the dangers associated with its use. The dangers posed to lives during the Chernobyl accident could never be forgetten. It remains to be a controversial issue because professionals from various fields give antithetical contentions on its safety and beneficial impact to health and to the environment in terms of toxic waste and global warming. To enable one to truly appreciate the process of generating nuclear energy, the illustration below would assist in detailing the process: Source: Energy Resources 2010 According to Energy Resources (2010), “the reactor uses Uranium rods as fuel, and the heat is generated by nuclear fission: neutrons smash into the nucleus of the uranium atoms, which split roughly in half and release energy in the form of heat. Carbon dioxide gas or water is pumped through the reactor to take the heat away, this then heats water to make steam. The steam drives turbines which drive generators” (pars. 6 – 8). As clearly depicted, it is the chain reaction process that generates the heat produced by this energy source. Advantages Before delving into details on proffering the contrasting issues of nuclear power as a ‘green’ and sustainable energy source or as a danger to the planet, the advantages of using nuclear power are enumerated herein: (1) costs almost the same as coal and therefore should not be considered expensive in produce; (2) in the process of production, there is no emission of carbon dioxide or smoke; (3) from limited amounts of fuel, large amounts of energy is produced; (4) limited amounts of waste products are produced; and (5) it is considered a reliable source, among others (Energy Resources 2010). These advantages were validated by Dr. Donald W. Miller, Jr., a cardiac surgeon and a Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle. Miller averred that “nuclear energy (that uranium 235 and uranium 238-derived plutonium produce) emits no harmful gases or toxic metals into the environment. And, unlike hydroelectric dams, it does not alter a region’s ecosystem. Furthermore, despite what activists and the media say, the wastes nuclear power create are far less of a problem than those produced by coal, or the silt that builds up behind dams” (Miller 2004). More significantly, Miller with the aid of a clear illustration designed by Petr Beckmann, presented the sustainable source of uranium which is the main ingredient for nuclear energy, to wit: Source: Miller 2004 From the illustration, it can be viewed that uranium’s source is relatively exemplary as compared to other energy sources, particularly coal, oil and natural gas. As such, it could provide greater amounts of energy for longer periods of time. Disadvantages Despite the enumerated benefits of nuclear power, there still exists some disadvantages worth considering: (1) there is much difficulty in sealing the waste products of nuclear power and is very dangerous in terms of its effect to man and to the environment; (2) though the costs associated with producing it equals that of coal, the expenses to ensure its safety in handling waste and in ensuring no accidents or danger to happen is tremendous. In How to Power the World (2010), the article focusing on the disadvantages of nuclear power also emphasized the cost of building nuclear power plants which would ensure safety from accidents and the innovativeness in disposing nuclear wastes. This fact is validated by Dr. Helen Caldicott (2001), founding president of Physicians for Social Responsibility when she indicated that “enormous quantities of fossil fuel are used to mine, mill and enrich the uranium needed to fuel a nuclear power plant, as well as to construct the enormous concrete reactor itself. Indeed, a nuclear power plant must operate for 18 years before producing one net calorie of energy. Nuclear power adds to global warming, increases the burden of radioactive materials in the ecosphere and threatens to contribute to nuclear proliferation” (Caldicott 2001, pars. 4, 5 & 13). Nuclear Power: A ‘Green’ and Sustainable Energy Option? From the review of various literatures on the components, process, benefits and costs of nuclear power, the issue that needs to be examined is if it indeed a ‘green’ and sustainable energy option. According to the NESTFC (2003), ‘green’ energy has been synonymous to “the term that is used when describing energy sources or sources of power that are known to be non-polluting energy sources that are fundamentally environmentally friendly. Green energy is an environmentally friendly means of locating and finding power that will remedy the effects of pollutants on our environment, as well as prevent future global warming” (par. 1). An article published in the Washington Times entitled Nuclear power is true ‘green’ energy written by Stuart Butler, he explained that the following points attest to validate that nuclear power is truly a ‘green’ energy option, to wit: (1) it is by so far the least cost of energy produced; (2) it does not release any toxic smoke in the atmosphere; (3) the land consumed to run a power plant is minimal compared to other energy sources; and (4) “with modern techniques, spent nuclear fuel is safely removed and reprocessed to yield new reactor fuel, drastically reducing the amount of waste needing disposal. In fact, if you used nuclear power for your entire lifetime needs, the resulting waste would only be enough (to) fill a Coke can (Butler 2010, 1). On the contrary, there are studies which emphasize that nuclear power is not environmental friendly and therefore not a ‘green’ energy option. Wasserman, the editor for Nukefree organization (2010), argued that nuclear power worsens global warming, wrecks havoc in terms of economically dangerous atomic reactors, it poses potential threats as weapons of mass destruction which can be used by terrorists, a contention that uranium supply is limited, and the inability to address disposal of radioactive nuclear wastes. In an article published by Renewable Energy World (2007), various reactions to then President Bush on his statement that nuclear energy is a renewable energy source indicated that “nuclear power and fossil fuels are environmentally polluting and non-renewable sources of energy that produce long-term radioactive wastes and/or greenhouse gas emissions. The primary renewable sources of energy are biomass (e.g., biofuels, biopower), geothermal, solar, water (e.g., hydropower, tidal, wave, ocean currents), and wind” (Renewable 2007). Analysis Based on both arguments for and against nuclear power being considered a ‘green’ energy option, using the definition of ‘green’ energy per se, it could be deduced that nuclear power cannot be considered in that category. In fact, the NESTFC averred that “all forms of green energy are considered to be renewable forms of energy in the sense that they use sources of power that are renewable and will not exhaust finite supplies of fuel on the planet. Examples of renewable and green energy sources are tidal powers, wave powers, solar power, wind power, geothermal power, and biomass power” (NESTFC 2003, par. 5). Further, since nuclear power uses uranium (the supply of which is likewise being contested as either finite or unlimited), the mere fact that it would eventually be exhausted means that it cannot be considered a green and sustainable energy option. This was validated by Energy Resources as it emphasized that “nuclear energy from Uranium is not renewable. Once weve dug up all the Earths uranium and used it, there isnt any more” (Energy Resources 2010). More significantly, although it does not emit any toxic gases in the atmosphere, the fact that the waste product poses greater danger to man and to the environment at any point in time, makes nuclear power not a green energy source. Environmentally friendly energy sources should only consider risks in terms of toxic gas emissions in the atmosphere. The waste products of nuclear power contain “high levels of radioactive (materials which) is very dangerous. It lasts for tens of thousands of years before decaying to safe levels. It is highly radioactive and is probably the biggest hurdle we face if nuclear power is going to be taken seriously” (How to Power the World 2010). With all focus of various governments on addressing climate change and global warming, there are other measures which can be implemented to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which contribute to global warming. As mentioned, although nuclear power does not contribute to GHG emissions, per se, the dangers of addressing waste disposal needs to closely evaluated and appropriately addressed. Global warming, as the term indicates, is a global concern. All people for all walks of life, regardless of cultural orientation, gender, nationality and personal or professional status, will be affected by its dangerous threats. Likewise, any threats posed by nuclear power as a source of energy must be duly addressed so that its vast potentials as the energy source of the future can be fully utilized. Conclusion Nuclear power has great potentials to augment sources of energy in the future. It use, however, should be further evaluated in terms its long term effect to the environment and the risks it poses to the existence of mankind. One critical solution to environmentally ethical and controversial dilemma like the issues encompassing nuclear power is to enhance public awareness on the facts about its costs and benefits, particularly the management of nuclear wastes. An immediate and significant action is to raise awareness on conservation, which apparently, is the only viable recourse to save man’s natural resources. Environmentally ethical and economic problems in the area of renewable, alternative and ‘green’ energy options could continue to persist and possibly endanger natural resources if not immediately addressed – all at the expense of man’s future generation. Reference List Britannica Concise Dictionary. Definition of Nuclear Power. 2008. http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/nuclear+power (accessed 29 September 2010). Butler, S. “Nuclear power is true ‘green’ energy”. Washington Times. 2010. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/29/nuclear-power-is-true-green- energy/?page=1 (accessed 29 September 2010). Energy Resources. Nuclear Power. 2010. http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/nuclear.htm (accessed 29 September 2010). How to Power the World. Disadvantages of Nuclear Power. 2010. http://howtopowertheworld.com/disadvantages-of-nuclear-power.shtml (accessed 29 September 2010). Kim, YeSeul, Granger, Erika, Puckett, Katie, Hasar, Cankutan, & Francel, Leif. Global Warming: Definition. 2010. http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2010/finalwebsite/background/globalwarming/definit ion.html (accessed 29 September 2010). Miller, D.W. Advantages of Nuclear Power. 2004. http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller13.html (accessed 29 September 2010). Nuclear Energy & Science for the Twenty-First Century (NESTFC). Green Energy. 2003. http://www.ifpaenergyconference.com/Nuclear-Energy.html (accessed 29 September 2010). Nuclear Energy & Science for the Twenty-First Century (NESTFC). Nuclear Energy. 2003. http://www.ifpaenergyconference.com/Nuclear-Energy.html (accessed 29 September 2010). Renewable Energy World. Nuclear Power is not a “Renewable Source of Energy”. 2007. http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2007/01/nuclear-power-is-not-a- renewable-source-of-energy-47296 (accessed 29 September 2010). Wasserman, H. Nuclear and Renewable Energy Facts. 2010. http://nukefree.org/facts (accessed 29 September 2010). Read More