It is a difficult argument as nuclear power has always been associated with potential danger but unlike other fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases nuclear power does not. Does this mean that nuclear power could potentially mitigate the effects of global warning? Here in this article we shall look at the advantages of nuclear power and whether it would have an impact on global warning at all.
The greenhouse gases within our atmosphere have an average lifetime of around 50 to 200 years so regardless if we stopped the emissions of the gases tomorrow, global warning would continue. Nuclear energy is used to generate electrical power, so in order to reduce our carbon emissions of CO2 we would have to rely on nuclear power plants instead of any other CO2 emitting technologies. The CO2 emission could be reduced in this way, although this could be rather problematic for various reasons.
Many people may be concerned about the safety surrounding nuclear technologies, yet nuclear plants are more efficient than they have been. New technology has made power plants far more reliable and safer then in previous years. People that are pro nuclear energy argue that this proven by the nations such as China that are currently building nuclear power plants.
Another strong argument for nuclear power is the cost effectiveness of nuclear plants; although expensive to build the running costs are much lower. The cost of nuclear power is low is because nuclear plants only need very little uranium to produce a large amount of energy. If the cost of uranium was to double the costs would only be increased by a small 7 percent. One truck or uranium produces the same amount of energy as one thousand trucks of coal.
If the focus in the future from the government is to avoid the emissions of CO2 then nuclear energy can contribute to the overall solution. However it could be argued that the whole climate change problem needs to be seen in a wider context. Humans still need to learn to live with sustainable living as the demands of electricity are rising so is the pollution produced from fossil-fuel burning plants. Nuclear power definitely emits less CO2 than coal, gas and oil but it is difficult to establish if the technology is safe enough yet to utilise nuclear energy so that the outcome is not tainted by the risks that go alongside using nuclear energy.
Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the environmental engineering industry. Find out more about Nuclear Power and how the services available can help with construction management services.
Article Source: Is Nuclear Power A Solution For Global Warning?