Nuclear Power In Australia

Nuclear has been in use for over fifty years and provides power to thirty two countries, manufacturing no emissions. Australia is one among the few developed countries without nuclear energy and therefore the solely G20 nation while not it. Why is that this the case? 2 reasons: worry and politics. Safety is that the issue cited most frequently by opponents of nuclear energy in Australia., however there has been only one fatal nuclear accident in nearly sixty years of generation worldwide.

The United States needs a change in its energy sources. Oil, first of all, is a scarce resource that will eventually run out, and it also makes the U.S. depend on the political situation in other countries, as can be seen at the frequent changes in oil prices due to the political situation in the Middle-East. Alternative energy sources are an important issue to consider and nuclear energy is certainly the most controversial. There are currently 104 nuclear power plants operating in the United States, but the licenses of those plants will expire in foreseeable future, the first one already in 2013 and the last one in 2046 (Nuclear Energy Inst.). Those expiration dates initiate the discussions if the licenses should be renewed for the plants

Since its discovery in the late 19th century, nuclear energy has been used in a diversity of areas such as atomic bombs, medicine, reducing pollution and food irradiation (Gupta, 2012). However, one of the biggest outcomes since this discovery is nuclear energy generation. This subject is largely controversial as it has many pros and cons. It is considered to be a more eco-friendly alternative source of electricity, as it emits less carbon emissions than coal-fired power stations, for example. Yet there still an environmental risk provided by the radio-active waste and its inability to be disposed of for 100,000 years (Phillips, 2012). Today in Australia there are no active nuclear power plants but that is predicted to change in the

Nuclear energy is the energy released by a nuclear reaction (fission, fusion). In nuclear energy, the water is turned into steam, which in turn drives turbine generators to produce electricity. This can be dangerous! Some of the major disadvantages include radiations, radioactive waste that would be produced and accidents that can occur in nuclear reactors.

Nuclear energy is gathered by the process of splitting uranium atoms. By splitting these atoms, there is some mass loss, and this mass can then be used as energy. This process is called fission. The heat from this fission is used to turn water into steam, and this steam turns the turbine generator in a reactor, which produces energy. Nuclear power plants have many advantages when compared to other renewable energy sources.

Nuclear energy is the energy that is released during nuclear fission or fusion also called a nuclear reaction. It is used to generate electricity energy is produced when a nucleus absorbs a neutron and splits into two lighter nuclei. The atoms consist of an electron cloud and a nucleus. (nuclearinfo.net)

According to nei.org, the Nuclear Energy Institute, “The average non-fuel O&M cost for a nuclear power plant in 2014 was 1.64 cents per kWh”. The unit ‘cents per kWh’ is the standard unit for LCOE (levelized cost of electricity) which directly and completely compares all energy sources and their energy output in comparison to their costs (direct and indirect). This number (1.64c/kWh) is much lower in comparison to other energy sources’ operating costs of power plants, such as petroleum, which has an O&M cost of 4 cents per kWh. This makes nuclear energy a very cost-efficient option for alternative energy, that will save money for other uses over time, such as for better nuclear energy research or for cutting consumer electricity costs. { Plus, the cost of uranium, which is currently the main fuel for nuclear reactors, is fairly low in comparison with other fuel options. The Nuclear Energy Institute also lists that, “The average fuel cost at a nuclear power plant in 2014 was 0.76 cents / kWh.” In contrast, the 2014 fuel costs for coal and gas were 2.53 and 4.01 cents/kWh respectively, making nuclear energy a very cheap alternative to fossil fuels. In addition, looking at Figure 1, it can be seen that fuel costs occupy much less of the total production costs for nuclear energy than for fossil fuels. In fact, uranium itself occupies only about 15% of the

The use of fossil fuels as a primary source of power is poisoning our world, and nuclear power is just the way to stop this. Nuclear power is using the process of nuclear fission to create electricity. Nuclear fission is the splitting of a uranium atom to release massive amounts of energy. When this process takes place in a nuclear reactor, the energy is used to superheat water which is pumped through pipes also submerged in water which then boils. The pressurized water vapor is used to turn turbines that produce electricity. Nuclear power is one of the cleanest, safest, most reliable and economically beneficial sources of power, and it needs to be considered as a substitute for fossil fuels. Nuclear power unfortunately has been given a bad name, but is actually an important resource that should be utilized by the U.S. and the rest of the world.

Research suggests that coal is an energy source for the future because it is stable and reliable with abundant reserves. Coal is the most affordable and efficient fuel source used to produce power, and because of new technologies, coal can be extracted and used to produce energy more efficiently and cleaner for decades to

Although nuclear energy has many advantages, their disadvantages that cause great concern to the general public. A common opinion amongst the public is the perceived opinion that uranium is dangerous and this has proven to be a major problem when there as has been any consideration of a nuclear alternative in Australia. Another concern is the long lasting radioactive material associated with the use of uranium as a fuel source, for example, the international nuclear waste dump possibility in Adelaide. Even if the South Australian Government could convince the voting public in its state, the plan would require federal approval and changes to the law. South Australia has about 30 per cent of the world's known uranium reserves. However, the strength

The world’s need for energy is growing exponentially, our current lifestyle relies almost entirely on non-renewable energy sources in order to provide electricity for our homes. Australia has an abundance of these non-renewable materials which provide Australia with a stable form of export as well as providing employment. Australia is abundant in natural resources like iron and coal, as well as other materials, the most notable being Uranium. Uranium, which is in plentiful supply in Australia (containing 31% of the entire world’s supply), has very controversial uses.

The use of nuclear power is risky, costly, and dangerous. The chances of having it leak are great, and if it ever does manage to leak somehow, it will take millions to clean up the mess. Nuclear power plants are also expensive to maintain and build. The money that goes to building nuclear plants only to have them taken down again could go to greater causes, such as funding other sources of renewable energy. For example, solar power, wind power, geothermal power, hybrid and electric cars, and aggressive energy efficiency are climate solutions that are safer, cheaper, faster, more secure, and less wasteful than nuclear power (“Ten Strikes Against Nuclear Power.” Green America.). Overall, the cons of building and using nuclear power (plants) outweigh

The world's natural resources are being consumed at an alarming rate. As these resources diminish, people will be seeking alternative sources by which to generate electricity for heat and light. The only practical short-term solution for the energy/pollution crisis should be nuclear power because it is available, cleaner and safer.

Nuclear power has been around for decades and can be easily utilized to help meet America’s energy needs. With energy

For years man has relied on energy in order to be successful in life. The industrial revolution relied on coal for the new inventions brought into the world. Life as has never been the same since then. However since that time, there has been little done to improve on energy efficiency and humans still primarily rely on fossil fuels for energy. For over a hundred years the Earth has become more polluted and dirtier than ever before. Now, with new, innovative technology there is an opportunity to change that and to rely on renewable, cleaner sources of energy. The main source of energy for the world should be alternative energy instead of energy from fossil fuels.