The Nuclear Option
March 6, 2008
Worcester Academy gets approximately 27% – as compared to a 20% national average- of its electricity from nuclear energy: fission of 2-3% enriched Uranium-235.
The benefits of nuclear are the enormous amount of energy that fissionable U-235 releases. One gram of U-235 (depending on enrichment level) produce the same amount of heat energy as burning 6,000 pounds of coal when used to heat water into steam which in turn spins a turbine to generate electricity. Further, there are no greenhouse gas emissions, electricity can be produced cheaply (though this could be argued against given special insurance policies for nuclear and unsettled costs for nuclear waste management), and in theory nuclear fuel can be reprocessed many times over. Capacity of New England nuclear reactor plants (see photo) is as follows:
Location- Name- Capacity
Maine- Wiscasett Maine Yankee (closed) 850 MW
CT- Haddam Neck Plant (closed) 590 MW
Millstone Nuclear Niantic Bay, Waterford (unit
closed) 652 MW
Unit 2 900MW
Unit 3 1200 MW
VT- Vermont Yankee, Vernon, VT 540 MW
NH- Seabrook Nuclear Station, Seabrook, NH 1200 MW*
MA- Yankee Nuclear, Rowe, MA (closed) 185 MW*
Plymouth Station, Plymouth, MA 655MW
Approximate Total: 4,500 MW (operating)
However, reprocessing fuel is dangerous (particularly if spent plutonium is involved, which can be isolated easily using chemical means to make a bomb but is rare in the US for energy production) and there are currently no operating reprocessing plants in the United States. Complications with nuclear energy also include managing nuclear waste which contains lethal and carcinogenic radioactive materials with half lives ranging from a few dats to 10’s of 1,000’s of years [Pu-239:1/2 life=24,360 years: alpha emissions, cocentrates in bones/lings, Sr-90: 1/2 life= 28.8 years: beta emissions: concentrates in bone and teeth, I-131: 1/2 life=8days: beta and gamma: thyroid, Cs-137:1/2life=30 years: beta and gamma: whole body] The many waste products of nuclear fission, such as these, must be handled without mistake and need to be stored securely for 100,000’s of years. Current solutions have included underground storage in geological stable caves. Currently there are over 50,000 metric tons of nuclear waste in the U.S., ( click for details: us-nuclear-waste.pdf ) most of which is stored in water pools on-site of the power plants (see Yankee Rowe photo). Over 3,000 tons of waste is stored in New England Power Nuclear Power Plants (see photos).
Some point out the security issues of transporting the waste through highway, water, and railway to waste collection sites such as the proposed Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Studies have, also, shown and critics point out ways that nuclear plants are not secure form terrorist attacks.
For further explanation and more information on nuclear science click on MITcourse nuclear info.jpg
Many scientists studying energy supply and climate change remediation insist that nuclear power needs to be part of the solution.
Essential questions:
1) How many nuclear power plants would need to be built to meet increasing world energy demands and after the end of oil?
2. What is the risk analysis for nuclear fuel procurement and waste production management, transportation, as well as attacks on nuclear facilities? What are the realities and complexities of storing nuclear waste?
3. What is the economic structure and conditions for past, current, and future nuclear power plants?
4. What are the numbers for the world’s current nuclear fuel sources? What will they be in the future?
5. What impact does uranium mining and reprocessing have on the environment, workers, etc.?
6. What % of efficiency as a resource unto itself would be needed to replace the use of nuclear, how could this number be achieved?
May 13, 2008 at 1:24 am
ok first off this is my blog for energy i couldn’t find were to post it.
Currently the Sun is instantaneously hitting the Earth with enough energy to run the Earth for a year, yet we have not yet found a way to capture all of this energy. Due to this we are forced to rely mostly on fossil fuels and a small amount of renewable energy such as hydro, wind, and sun. The human race is currently depleting the world’s energy it has built up over millions of years. We have come to rely on fossil fuels which is somewhat a stored energy source of the Earth. Fossil fuels have allowed the Human race to multiply at a rate which the Earth can not support for much longer. With the destroying of crops, water, atmosphere, and fossil fuels it is the human race that is in jeopardy not the Earth.
A theory has been devoloped that the Earth is like any other living organism in the way that everything done due it has a reaction and a defense mechanism. Recent attention has been drawn to global warming, and greenhouse gas rightfully so but where the press goes wrong is that it is not the Earth we are destroying it is ourselves. The Earth will flourish once humans as gone as all we do is use up resources and frankly we do nothing in return.
May 18, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Today we do not use as much solar energy as we could. We do not use solar panels as much as we should be using them. Also we do not have alternatives to use for energy like fuels. If the world could cut down on their emissions of fossil fuels the environment will be safer for everybody. We also do not use as much wind power as we should. The Cape Wind project will increase the amount of wind energy we use with a 130 turbine plant. The plant is going to be in the middle of Nantucket, and it will be able to power much of the surrounding area. If the people of the world could use alternatives to energy that causes the environment to not be safe, it will be safer for us to live in, and the earth will be around for a much longer time. Also the earth will continue to supply us with what it already does for a much longer time.
We as humans need to utilize more of the suns energy. We need to use more solar energy by using more solar panels. In the long run they pay for themselves. They help take the suns energy in and convert them into usable energy for many different things. We can use them for buildings and houses all the way to charging small things like a cell phone. They may seem expensive, but they end up paying for themselves because of the energy they save you. Another important thing that would help the world is hydrogen cars. They are currently being perfected, and they would make the environment safer. Mercedes is currently working on them, and hope to be one of the first companies to have a hydrogen car.
May 18, 2008 at 6:03 pm
The United States uses a lot of energy—nearly a million dollars worth each minute, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. With less than five percent of the world’s population, we consume about one fourth of the world’s energy resources. Households use about one-fifth of the total energy consumed in the United States each year. The typical U.S. family spends almost $1,500 a year on utility bills. About 60 percent is in the form of electricity.
A way to make energy for efficient is to use solar panels. “Solar panels (arrays of photovoltaic cells) make use of renewable energy from the sun, and are a clean and environmentally sound means of collecting solar energy.”1By using solar panels the world will be a healthier and safer place.
http://www.solarpanelinfo.com/
May 18, 2008 at 9:30 pm
There are many types of energy in the world today. Energy is found from natural resources and comes from fossil fuels (the remains of ancient organisms that changed into coal, oil, or natural gas). Fossil fuels are a limited resource in the world today, and often cause much pollution to the little bit of the environment that we have left. We find fuel as a necessary component to our everyday lives. It is used for cooling and heating, electricity, cars, and for machines. Because we live in a technological age, it is clear that we cannot stop using the technology we have created, however it is important to look at what it is doing to the environment and alternatives to power them. First let’s look at coal and its environmental effects. Coal is generated 57% more than hydro, oil, gas, or nuclear power in the United States. Coal is useful in the sense that it is pretty cheap and it only requires mining. Underground coal mining is not harmful to the environment; but the problem lies in surface coal mining. In order to reach the coal deposits, many natural landscapes are torn up. Also, by stirring all of the coal up, chemicals can pollute groundwater and streams. Clean-burning coal can reduce air pollution if done correctly, but any other form of burning coal is harmful to the environment. Next let’s look at oil and how it affects our world. Unlike coal, it requires much work to produce into something useable. First, wells are drilled to look at the oil deposit, then the oil is extracted by pumping it out. It is then brought to an oil refinery and is changed into various fuels. One of the biggest problems with oil is the air pollution that it causes when it is burned. It causes smog and serious health problems when inhaled. Research has also shown that burning oil has contributed to global warming. Another pollution problem with oil is oil spills. This causes extensive water pollution, which kills fish and water organisms as well. Lastly, natural gas accounts for 20% of the world’s nonrenewable energy. Burning natural gas produces far less pollutants than oil; it is a clean burning fuel. Oil wells recover natural gas as well, therefore it is more common. They can also be of use with electric power plants.
It is clear that nonrenewable resources are depleting and ultimately cause more pollution to the environment. This is why we search for renewable energy. Renewable energy is energy from sources that are constantly being formed. For example, solar energy is a powerful source of renewable energy. All renewable energy comes from the sun, somehow. The sun can directly power something by heating it, called passive solar heating. There are passive solar buildings that are used in alliance with the movement of the sun. This dramatically reduces energy bills if done effectively. The home uses heavily insulated ceilings, vents to allow warmer air to escape in summer, insulated window shades to reduce heat loss, double paned windows that face south to reduce heat loss during colder nights, and lastly, thicker walls and floors that keep heat in during the winter. There is also active solar heating which is when energy from the sun is gathered by collectors and used to heat water or to heat a building. Usually, the roof is where the solar collectors are, it then heats up water using solar energy, and the water is flowed through an exchanger which heats the whole building. Another form of an essentially free, renewable resource is wind power. The only money needed to produce wind energy is to build the turbines. However, that money pays for itself when all of your energy expenses are paid for by a natural resource. Wind turbines are especially great if you live in a windy area, they are inconsistent otherwise. Some of the windiest places on earth could generate ten times of the energy that the world uses. Next, a great alternative to regular electricity is hydro electricity. Hydroelectricity is energy produced from moving water. This accounts for 20% of the world’s electricity. Hydroelectric dams are built across rivers or reservoirs to hold the water back. The water is released to turn on the turbines which produce electricity. Hydroelectric dams are relatively expensive, but are not expensive to run, and don’t produce pollutants. Lastly, geothermal energy is also a renewable energy source that is better for the earth because it is created from the earth. Geothermal energy is energy from heat in the earth’s crust. The geothermal power plants take heated water from rock formations and use the water to run a turbine that produces electricity. There are many alternatives to nonrenewable fuel sources, and they are all becoming more and more common.
May 18, 2008 at 10:11 pm
In the U.S., solar power is available to us, but most Americans can’t afford or decide not to use the sun as a way to get energy to their homes. The average household spends about $1,900 on energy costs a year. The installation of solar panels cost between $8,000 and $100,000 depending on the size of house or building. This price tag turns off a lot of buyers who are thinking of getting solar panels, which is a shame because they do pay themselves off after a while. The only areas in the U.S. where solar power is most economical is in California, New Jersey, and parts of New York and Pennsylvania. Instead of using solar power, we get our energy from fossil fuels, which emit greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere. So basically because we choose to not use solar power, we are paying more money for the electricity we get, and are being harmful towards the environment.
The sun has been around for billion of years, and we can take advantage of it by using the sun to generate our heat and energy. Solar energy is not only good for the environment, but saves money as well. Many people using solar power were able to cut their electric bill by 50%. These solar systems are expected to last 30-50 years, and are likely to generate between $9,000 and $120,000 worth of electricity over their lifetime in current dollars. Buyers also like to buy houses and are willing to pay a premium for houses or buildings including solar panels. Another added bonus that solar power gives is that many states offer rebates, tax credits, or other incentives, some of which you can pay up to half of the costs. This makes solar electric systems more affordable, and hopefully more appealing. Besides giving you extra cash, solar electric systems also reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and improves air quality, which benefits us all because you’re creating clean renewable energy. In fact, over its 25 year lifetime, a 2 KW solar system will prevent about 40 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, which is great because carbon dioxide emissions are a major part of global warming. Solar power is so sustainable that in just one to four years, a BP solar module will regenerate the energy used in its manufacture.
http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9019570&contentId=7035863
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070422113426AAsay3e
May 18, 2008 at 11:00 pm
The worlds fossil fuel emissions are slowly running out. Around 50 years from now the worlds fossil fuels like oil, natural gas, and gasoline will run dry leaving people to come up with new ways to create energy to get around.Natural gas, oil, and gasoline are non renewable resource meaning that they take a long time to be created untill we can use them again. as of 2005 the United States of America, or our country used 121,895 btu’s,British Thermal Unit, of energy. A BTU is the e nergy of a lit match, or the energy it takes to raise a pound of water one farhenheit. An as a whole the world used around 462.78 quadrillion btu’s.The USA use 4.07 tera watts in a moment, and the world uses 15.4838282 tw in a moment. By this rate the world needs to find an alteranative way to provide enrgy or the world will fall into chaos.
The sun has a fussion reaction between helium and hydrogen that gives off its intense heat. The sun produces 689,343 years of energy in one moment at its surface.Various companies such as Nevada solar 1 and the Mujave desert solar operation have explored into using solar pannels to provide energy. The Mujave desert provides 7000 wpm and in 2001 produced 111,000 million kw. hrs. It sits on 1500 acres and has 900,000 solar mirrors. Its max capacity is 14 mw.Companies also practice with radioactive isotopes to produce enrgy.The conneticut yankee powerplant produced 1 million dollars a day in electricity. It harnessed the power of uranium isotops to heat up water to produce energy. Also wind power such as cape wind is an enviromentally friendly way to produce energy for the world. The wind spins a turbine that converts the mechanical energy into electricity. Also there are 650 ethanol fueling stations in this country. Ethanol is a biofuel that is comprised of 90% gasohal, corn or sugar product, and 10% gasoline. Finally there is hydrogen power that uses the hydrogens fussion to produc energy. With these new breakthroughs in energy sources the world will be able to function without the use of fossil fuels.
May 19, 2008 at 4:16 pm
The fuel crisis is the problem that is sweeping the nation. The Earths petroleum is running out, and the human race has become reliant upon this fuel source. We use it in our cars, houses, and even our roads. Today early advancements in the renewable fuel options like ethanol and electric, but both are unreliable and ethanol cannot be mass-produced. Hybrids are a step in the right direction. They use both electricity and fossil fuel, but they are still not independent from the fossil fuel.
For the future, the key idea is to find a renewable source with no waste like CO2. One idea that might work is hydrogen. The problem with hydrogen is that it is not abundant enough, however this could be something to strive for in the future. The longest trip, by an all hydrogen car, was made on May 15, 2007 by two Chevy Sequels, it was about 300 miles. This is especially good because hydrogen produces no air pollution.
May 19, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Fossil fuels are energy forms that cannot be renewed and are slowly destroying the earth. Coal makes up almost 28% of the amount of energy resources and oil provides roughly 40%. The problem with coal, is that it lets off sulphur dioxide which contributes to acid rain. Crude oil, such as oil and gasoline, takes less energy to remove from the earth, and is cheaper to transport, making it the most popular source for energy. Natural gas makes 20% of the fossil fuels, but is taken out of the earth too rapidly.
The advantages of this source of energy, is the fact that even a small amount of coal or oil can generate a large amount of energy. Also, transporting the oil and gas is fairly cheap, and is easy to install. gas powered power plants can be built in almost any area, and can be torn down without having to transport any toxic waste. the main drawback of fossil fuels is the output of pollution that each type provides. Mining coal can be dangerous and is difficult to mine the amount needed but the population.