Should the US Build More Nuclear Power Plants?
Today, it's clear that the US needs more resources to acquire energy, and energy consumption and production are very prevalent in the news these days. In addition, global warming is becoming an increasing problem, such that fossil fuels are becoming increasingly unpopular as fuel sources -- not least because they can't be renewed and cause extensive pollution. What's next for the US, then? "Green energy" is a very talked about topic in society, but when we think of "green energy," most of us think of renewable energy sources like solar, geothermal, or wind power.
One energy source that many people don't think of is nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is unpopular with many people because it brings to mind visions of the accident at Three Mile Island, nuclear catastrophe, and so on. However, used properly, nuclear power can be very environmentally friendly, and it can produce power very cleanly to provide our energy needs with relatively little trouble.
Today, this country has 104 commercial nuclear power plants, and they provide about 20% of the electricity the US uses. That's as compared to about 50% of electricity needs gotten from 614 coal plants. However, those 614 coal plants also significantly contribute to pollution and global warming, constantly releasing carbon dioxide and debris into the atmosphere.
Besides the obvious drawbacks to burning coal, mining coal is also very detrimental to the environment. And that's not to mention the direct human cost of using coal, in that burning coal and mining it significantly shortens lifespan for those exposed to it.
How is nuclear energy beneficial as compared to other renewable energy sources? Certainly, wind and solar power are good ways to generate electricity, as are other renewable energy sources. However, these sources are not built into the infrastructure and cannot be made cost effective, as things are. Certainly, many people use solar panels on their roofs, as one example, and that number is growing. Still, only about 0.03% of the US' energy needs is generated by solar power. It will take a lot of money, time and effort to make solar energy the clean energy producing giant that nuclear power could be right now. And, energy needs could be addressed with nuclear power without having to generate carbon emissions or other pollutants.
It is somewhat polluting to construct nuclear power plants, but once constructed, the energy they produce is completely clean. This clean energy source is absolutely necessary so that we can meet our energy demands, which are only going to grow. That's true even though many of us, of course, are focused on reducing personal energy consumption as much as is possible. It's simply a fact, no matter how you slice it, that our need for energy in this modern life is going to grow regardless.
One major change commonly focused on to reduce pollution is to change gasoline cars to electric cars. While it's true that electric cars can produce transportation that's completely clean and free of emissions, that will only be true if the electricity they use is also produced from clean sources. If those cars' electricity is provided by coal plants, it really defeats the purpose altogether.
By 2030, the US should have, by many projections, 25 to 30 nuclear power plants just to have nuclear energy remain at 20% as an energy producer, as it is today. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions as experts say needs to happen, the US will need to build 187 power plants by 2050. And that means that indeed, the US does need to expand its nuclear power capacity, to meet the US' growing energy needs without negatively impacting the environment further.
One energy source that many people don't think of is nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is unpopular with many people because it brings to mind visions of the accident at Three Mile Island, nuclear catastrophe, and so on. However, used properly, nuclear power can be very environmentally friendly, and it can produce power very cleanly to provide our energy needs with relatively little trouble.
Today, this country has 104 commercial nuclear power plants, and they provide about 20% of the electricity the US uses. That's as compared to about 50% of electricity needs gotten from 614 coal plants. However, those 614 coal plants also significantly contribute to pollution and global warming, constantly releasing carbon dioxide and debris into the atmosphere.
Besides the obvious drawbacks to burning coal, mining coal is also very detrimental to the environment. And that's not to mention the direct human cost of using coal, in that burning coal and mining it significantly shortens lifespan for those exposed to it.
How is nuclear energy beneficial as compared to other renewable energy sources? Certainly, wind and solar power are good ways to generate electricity, as are other renewable energy sources. However, these sources are not built into the infrastructure and cannot be made cost effective, as things are. Certainly, many people use solar panels on their roofs, as one example, and that number is growing. Still, only about 0.03% of the US' energy needs is generated by solar power. It will take a lot of money, time and effort to make solar energy the clean energy producing giant that nuclear power could be right now. And, energy needs could be addressed with nuclear power without having to generate carbon emissions or other pollutants.
It is somewhat polluting to construct nuclear power plants, but once constructed, the energy they produce is completely clean. This clean energy source is absolutely necessary so that we can meet our energy demands, which are only going to grow. That's true even though many of us, of course, are focused on reducing personal energy consumption as much as is possible. It's simply a fact, no matter how you slice it, that our need for energy in this modern life is going to grow regardless.
One major change commonly focused on to reduce pollution is to change gasoline cars to electric cars. While it's true that electric cars can produce transportation that's completely clean and free of emissions, that will only be true if the electricity they use is also produced from clean sources. If those cars' electricity is provided by coal plants, it really defeats the purpose altogether.
By 2030, the US should have, by many projections, 25 to 30 nuclear power plants just to have nuclear energy remain at 20% as an energy producer, as it is today. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions as experts say needs to happen, the US will need to build 187 power plants by 2050. And that means that indeed, the US does need to expand its nuclear power capacity, to meet the US' growing energy needs without negatively impacting the environment further.
About the Author:
Author: J. Dyess has been in the Texas Energy business segment for the past 7 years and published many articles on Texas Power news.
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