Written by: Arjun Dev Bedi
Edited by: Hanna Karasinska & Emil Koch
When the word ‘nuclear’ comes to mind, what do you picture? Is thick, gooey, green liquid giving off a poignant stench? While not without its dangers, the word is often stigmatized - associated with fear and dread, destruction and chaos - but it could combat one of humanity’s most prevalent problems and serve as the ultimate electricity generation system.
What is nuclear energy and how does it work?
Nuclear power can be obtained from 3 major sources: nuclear fission, nuclear decay, and nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion is still being researched and occurs naturally in the core of stars such as our sun, and nuclear decay serves more niche purposes in other fields and industries.
Nuclear reactors operate on the principle of nuclear fission, governed by the strong nuclear force, the force responsible for holding together protons and neutrons in the atomic nucleus. In simple words, nuclear fission is the splitting of larger nuclei into two smaller nuclei, releasing energy in the process. Uranium-235 is the primary fuel source for nuclear power plants due to it being unstable and, thereby, able to undergo nuclear fission.
In a nuclear reactor, pellets of uranium oxide are surrounded by a cooling agent (typically water). Neutrons bombard the pellet, causing nuclear fission to occur. During fission, two smaller atomic nuclei, additional neutrons, and a large magnitude of energy are released. The neutrons released then bombard surrounding uranium nuclei and cause them to split continuously. This is what academics call a chain reaction and what nuclear plants aim to achieve. This large amount of energy generates copious heat, which causes the surrounding water to turn into steam. The steam, in turn, drives a turbine connected to a generator, which generates electricity. There are also control rods in place, which absorb excess neutrons to regulate the rate of reaction and prevent core meltdowns. Currently, there are 437 nuclear reactors (410 operational), with 57 in construction. This yields about 368 gigawatts of electrical power from the operational plants.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), high-case
projections foretell that nuclear power will generate 874 gigawatts of electrical power by 2050. Atomic energy will therefore account for 8% of the electrical mix by 2050, an impressive figure is given that electricity demand is said to increase by 20%.
But why is nuclear energy described as the ‘power of tomorrow’?
While 1 kg of coal yields approximately 8 kWh of energy, uranium generates 3 million times more per kg. Indeed, the most significant benefit of nuclear energy lies in its unprecedented energy density. Besides its tremendous energy efficiency, nuclear energy proves to be environmentally friendly, potentially paving the way to climate neutrality. Nuclear power production doesn’t generate harmful carbon dioxide and prevents roughly 470 million metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. In fact, almost 50% of the country's green energy in the United States comes from nuclear energy.
Economies with nuclear power supplying part of their electric grid decreases the dependency on fossil fuels of that country. This facilitates energy diversification and lowers the impact of fuel prices changing. An example of this is visible in France, a country where nuclear power generates 71% of the country’s electricity. Beyond its environmental benefits, nuclear plant industries also stimulate the creation of new jobs, bolstering economies and providing livelihoods to those in need. Nuclear energy is also one of the safest sources of energy, with 99.9% fewer deaths than brown coal, 99.8% fewer than coal, 99.7% fewer than oil, and 97.6% fewer than gas.
What’s holding it back?
But what’s the catch? To answer, let us look at the challenges that come along with nuclear energy, and what hinders it from being a pioneer in electricity generation. One important aspect lies in the fact that nuclear plants generate radioactive waste, which must be disposed of carefully, resulting in the contamination of food, air, or water otherwise. These impact humanity directly causing genetic mutations that can raise the risk of cancer and other diseases. Given that some waste materials may emit radiation on a time scale of thousands of years, it is imperative that the waste material be maintained deep underground for extended periods for safety reasons. This is a challenging undertaking.
Furthermore, the building of nuclear plants demands large initial investments, a fact that may put off many businesses due to the perceived riskiness of the venture. Less capital invested in the industry would also decrease innovation in nuclear technology. The development of the plant may also be fraught with delays and complications due to balancing economic needs with safety regulations and client timelines.
In addition, nuclear power is not technically a renewable energy source, as it is not replenished naturally. Furthermore, only 0.72% of all the uranium on Earth is uranium-235. This particular isotope has to be artificially enriched, a time-consuming and expensive venture. The perception of nuclear plants has also been blemished by tragic accidents such as the ones in Chornobyl and Fukushima, resulting in fear and concern from the global public, despite the strict safety regulations that modern nuclear plants are subject to.
Conclusion:
Nuclear energy presents a path toward addressing some of humanity's pressing challenges in power generation. It boasts preposterous energy density, significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and enhanced energy security. The nuclear industry also creates employment opportunities, a benefit that is valuable for developing countries, including many of those trying to transfer towards a cleaner energy model.
Finally, the tragedies of Chornobyl and Fukushima are rare exceptions, and nuclear power plant facilities adhere to safety standards to the fullest extent. As one of the central sources of clean and reliable energy sources, nuclear power will be crucial in combating climate change as the world's energy demand grows.
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References:
[1] “Climate.” Nuclear Energy Institute, https://www.nei.org/advantages/climate. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.
[2] “Fuel Comparison.” ENS, 22 May 2019, https://www.euronuclear.org/glossary/fuel-comparison/. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.
[3] National Geographic. “Nuclear Energy.” National Geographic Articles - Educational, https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/nuclear-energy/. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.
[4] “Nuclear Power Economics.” Nuclear Energy Costs - World Nuclear Association, https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/economic-aspects/economics-of-nuclear-power.aspx. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.
[5] “PRIS.” Home, https://pris.iaea.org/pris/Home.aspx. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.
[6] U.S Energy Information Administration. “Nuclear Explained.” U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nuclear/. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.
[7] “What Are the Safest and Cleanest Sources of Energy?” Our World in Data, https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.
Figures:
[1] MikeRun, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Accessed on 16. Aug. 2023.
[2] PRIS - home. (n.d.). https://pris.iaea.org/pris/home.aspx. Accessed on 16.Aug. 2023.
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