In 2014, the US alone used 98.324 quadrillion BTUs of energy. Roughly 82% of that was fossil fuels. Renewable resources accounted for 10%, including solar, wind, hydroelectric, and more, and the remaining 8% was nuclear power. This energy was used to do everything from power our televisions to turn on our lightbulbs. Unfortunately, our reliance on fossil fuels brings with it serious side effects, including global warming. Because of these issues, a variety of alternative energy sources has been raised, with nuclear power being the most commonly used. Nuclear power should be used to replace fossil fuels, as it does not pollute and is the most concentrated form of energy.
Fossil fuels, a natural fuel formed from the remains of living organisms, …show more content…
Nuclear power involves shooting neutrons at uranium 235 atoms. This causes the uranium atom to split, creating heat. This heat is then transferred into the primary coolant. This is heated to over 600º F. The pressurised water reactor keeps the water under pressure, preventing it from boiling. This pressurised water is then transferred to the secondary cooler, which converts the water into steam. This steam causes a turbine to spin, causing energy to be produced. In a Boiling Water Reactor, the water is allowed to boil and this steam is used to power the turbine. Many states contain nuclear plants, and some states rely on nuclear for over 25% of their energy, including New Jersey, Virginia, Michigan, Connecticut, South Carolina, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, with Illinois accounting for around 10% of the nuclear energy produced in the US. Nuclear power is expensive; Building the nuclear plants is very expensive and, because of this, nuclear power is limited to places who can afford it. In order to expand the use of Nuclear power, the government could give significant tax breaks to states who built nuclear plants. This would encourage states to act, and would help to compensate for the high costs of …show more content…
It is the only one that can produce sufficient amounts of energy at all times. For this reason, it produces 64% of all US alternative energy sources. It is actually practical to say that, even with current technology, nuclear power could replace fossil fuels. Another advantage of nuclear power comes in its concentration of energy. It is far more concentrated than fossil fuels. In fact, one uranium fuel pellet creates as much energy as one ton of coal or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas. An average nuclear plant produces sufficient electricity for more than 690,000 home, and only uses 20 metric tons of uranium fuel each year. This reduces transportation costs, as well as increasing efficiency. Nuclear power, unfortunately, is not without its flaws. As a byproduct of nuclear fission, radioactive materials are created. This is expensive to safely dispose of. In addition, there is the possibility of nuclear accidents, which can be extremely dangerous. However, these problems are minimal. US nuclear plants are head to incredibly high safety standards. They have four foot thick concrete and steel domes surrounding the reactor, and have countless backup safety systems. In addition, after the Fukushima accident, nuclear facilities have been continuously improving their safety. Also, addressing the radioactive waste, nuclear power produces very little waste. Because of this, even though the waste is more
Fossil fuels, a natural fuel formed from the remains of living organisms, …show more content…
Nuclear power involves shooting neutrons at uranium 235 atoms. This causes the uranium atom to split, creating heat. This heat is then transferred into the primary coolant. This is heated to over 600º F. The pressurised water reactor keeps the water under pressure, preventing it from boiling. This pressurised water is then transferred to the secondary cooler, which converts the water into steam. This steam causes a turbine to spin, causing energy to be produced. In a Boiling Water Reactor, the water is allowed to boil and this steam is used to power the turbine. Many states contain nuclear plants, and some states rely on nuclear for over 25% of their energy, including New Jersey, Virginia, Michigan, Connecticut, South Carolina, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, with Illinois accounting for around 10% of the nuclear energy produced in the US. Nuclear power is expensive; Building the nuclear plants is very expensive and, because of this, nuclear power is limited to places who can afford it. In order to expand the use of Nuclear power, the government could give significant tax breaks to states who built nuclear plants. This would encourage states to act, and would help to compensate for the high costs of …show more content…
It is the only one that can produce sufficient amounts of energy at all times. For this reason, it produces 64% of all US alternative energy sources. It is actually practical to say that, even with current technology, nuclear power could replace fossil fuels. Another advantage of nuclear power comes in its concentration of energy. It is far more concentrated than fossil fuels. In fact, one uranium fuel pellet creates as much energy as one ton of coal or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas. An average nuclear plant produces sufficient electricity for more than 690,000 home, and only uses 20 metric tons of uranium fuel each year. This reduces transportation costs, as well as increasing efficiency. Nuclear power, unfortunately, is not without its flaws. As a byproduct of nuclear fission, radioactive materials are created. This is expensive to safely dispose of. In addition, there is the possibility of nuclear accidents, which can be extremely dangerous. However, these problems are minimal. US nuclear plants are head to incredibly high safety standards. They have four foot thick concrete and steel domes surrounding the reactor, and have countless backup safety systems. In addition, after the Fukushima accident, nuclear facilities have been continuously improving their safety. Also, addressing the radioactive waste, nuclear power produces very little waste. Because of this, even though the waste is more