Nuclear energy: what are its main advantages
At the moment, the so-called green types of energy are at the peak of popularity - solar power plants, wind generators, etc. And the thing is that they (green sources) actively reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.
Against this background, nuclear power has been undeservedly forgotten. I’ll tell you about how nuclear energy reduces harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
Problems of global emissions and options for their resolution
At the moment, the global level of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere is about 32 billion. tons per year, but most importantly, this figure is growing steadily. So, according to forecasts, by 2030 the volume of emissions will already reach 34 billion. tons per year.
One of the options for solving this global problem is the development of nuclear energy. To the adepts of wind generators and solar stations, I want to remind you about the past winter and how Texas froze without heat and electricity (when the wind turbines froze and the solar panels skidded).
Therefore, more and more countries are coming to a decision on the need to develop the peaceful atom. So the installed capacity of nuclear power is 397 gigawatts. So, if we imagine that all this capacity will be generated by coal and gas stations, then this will provide about 2 billion cubic meters of emissions into the atmosphere. tons of carbon dioxide.
If you believe the calculations of climatologists, then all forests in the northern hemisphere absorb about 1 billion in one year. tons of CO2, and if we take all the forests of our planet, then the annual absorption will be at the level of 2.5 billion. tons of carbon dioxide.
I think these figures clearly show what effect the development of the nuclear industry as a whole can have on the environment.
Well, now let's take a closer look at the advantages of nuclear energy in general.
Nuclear power advantages
- High energy intensity. If we take only one kilogram of enriched uranium up to 4%, then with complete burnup it will be released energy equivalent to burning about 100 tons of high quality coal or 60 tons of black gold (oil).
- Reuse of spent fuel. During operation, the fission of Uranium-235 does not occur completely and after regeneration, the fuel can be reused in operation. Russia is already actively working on reactors with a completely closed fuel cycle. And this indicates an almost complete absence of waste in the future.
- Possibility of reducing the "greenhouse effect". The widespread development of nuclear energy can be considered as one of the main means of combating global climate change. So, in order to understand this influence, operating nuclear power plants in Europe alone can reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by 700 million tonnes. tons per year. Operating nuclear power plants in Russia reduce emissions by 210 mln. tons and according to this indicator the Russian Federation is in fourth place in the world.
- Economic development. The construction of a nuclear power plant is an unconditional trigger for the development of savings. So one job during the construction of a nuclear power plant creates about 10 jobs in other industries. Also, nuclear power is a strong impetus for the development of scientific research.
Of course, there are also disadvantages in the industry and the following aspects can be attributed to them:
1. For modern nuclear power plants, a sufficiently large safety zone is required.
2. Despite the very high level of safety, there is (albeit minimal) risk of an emergency situation that can lead to infection of a large area.
Despite the existing risks, nuclear energy is the most promising area of development, which is indeed capable of almost completely reducing emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere and ensure the constantly growing demand with uninterrupted supplies of electricity that will not depend on various weather conditions factors.
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