Clean and Renewable energy

why nuclear power is the only real solution to renewable power

Wind turbines and solar energy are the first things that come to mind for many people when they think of "clean" energy. Nuclear power, which is incredibly powerful and environmentally friendly, is sometimes underestimated. Nuclear power is the world's second-largest source of low-carbon electricity, behind hydropower. It's a zero-emission energy source with huge environmental and human-safety potential.

Generates clean energy

Fission, or the shattering of uranium atoms, is used to create nuclear power. Fission generates heat, which is used to create steam, which allows a turbine to spin and generate electricity without releasing harmful gases. Indeed, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) estimates that the US avoided 476 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2019. This is the equivalent of removing 100 million operating cars and all other renewable energy sources combined.

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If done on a wider scale, it will very certainly have a significant influence on undoing years of environmental harm caused by the usage of fossil fuels. Nuclear energy has been discovered to eradicate thousands of dangerous air pollutants that cause smog, lung cancer, acid rain, and cardiovascular disorders. Not only that, but when compared to other major energy sources, nuclear power emits the least amount of radiation into the environment. This statement may perplex many people, especially since radiation is sometimes neglected when evaluating alternative energy sources.

Operates at high capacity factors

The sun does not always shine, and the wind does not always blow. According to the latest figures from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), nuclear power reactors are reaching full capacity, with an average capacity of around 97 percent. This means that nuclear power is available 354 days a year. When compared to hydroelectric systems, which were found to be operational 45.2 percent of the time or roughly 165 days per year, this is a substantial amount of time. Only 21.2 percent of the time, or 77 days a year, was found to be operational.

Takes up less land footprint

Nuclear energy generates significantly more power with significantly less land than other clean-air energy sources. According to the NEI, a 1000 megawatt nuclear power plant would require slightly more than 1 square mile to run, which is substantially less than wind turbines and solar energy. To produce the same quantity of electricity, a wind farm would need 360 times the amount of land that nuclear power plants would.

Generates less waste

Nuclear energy creation, like all other energy-generating systems, produces waste. Low, moderate, and high-level nuclear waste are the three types of nuclear waste classified according to their radioactivity. Approximately 90% of nuclear waste is comprised of weakly contaminated goods such as work apparel and instruments used in the manufacturing process. Only 1% of the total radioactivity is contained in these things. In terms of high-level waste, however, it only includes spent nuclear fuel that has been distinguished from waste from other nuclear processes.

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Five grams of this high-level waste brick weighs the same as a standard sheet of paper. For example, a 1000 megawatt nuclear power station may provide electricity to nearly one million people. Each year, just three cubic meters of high-level garbage would be generated. Despite the fact that the benefits vastly outweigh the risks, many environmentalists have been vocal in their opposition to nuclear power, alleging a slew of problems. If administered properly, with care, and according to the applicable standards, nuclear power has the ability to help the Earth recover, contribute to improved air quality, and reduce the number of individuals afflicted by cardiovascular issues.