Is Nuclear Energy the Answer to Energy Crisis (Essay Sample)

Is Nuclear Energy the Answer to Energy Crisis?
Author’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Instructor’s Name
Date
Introduction
Due to the rapid reduction of the existing energy sources, the earth is faced with a problem of where to find the possible alternatives sources of energy in the future. One possible solution to the impending energy crisis is the nuclear energy. However, there is a feeling among many people that the use of nuclear power is prone to dangers. This has led to the emergence of anti-nuclear energy people whose voices have become more vibrant than ever. This assessment shows the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy by through presentations of claims in favour of as well as against nuclear energy.
Background
Nuclear energy is a form of energy that is generated from a nuclear power plant. Two forms of reactors are used, water moderated reactors and the fast breeder reactors. In the plant, uranium and free neutrons combine before breaking down into lighter elements. During the reaction, incredible heat energy is produced, process called nuclear fission (Silverman & Kaplan, 1980). Since the main raw material is uranium, the reaction taking place in the nuclear reactors produces radioactive emissions (wastes) whose effect on the people can last for tens of thousands of years.
The advantages of nuclear energy include:
* Nuclear energy is economical in the long run- Although other sources of energy like oil, coal and gas can be found in plenty, they do not produce as much energy as uranium if equal amounts were to be compared (Newton, 2013). Therefore, it is true that some money can be saved by using uranium despite the fact that it may be more expensive to mine than coal, gas and oil.
* Also, the initial cost of constructing nuclear plants may seem higher compared to other energy plants but the cost of construction can be recovered within its few months of operation (Newton, 2013).
* According to Daniel Silverman & Betty Kaplan (1980), there is no energy source that is 100% perfect in terms of emissions. However, there are minimal chemical emissions during the use of nuclear energy. Gases like carbon IV oxide and carbon II oxide are not emitted. There may be very minimal production of such gases.
* Construction of a nuclear plant uses land efficiently (Caldicott, 2007). Unlike coal and oil, the rate at which land is destroyed during mining is relatively small as uranium is rarely found.
* Limited radiation emissions are recorded nuclear plants- Compared to coal powered plants which produce ten times more the radiations, nuclear energy fired plants produce relatively low radiations (Silverman & Kaplan, 1980).
* Nuclear plants generate large power capacity- The energy generated is able to meet the energy demands for big cities and industries as opposed to other technologies that produce low power e.g. solar energy (Caldicott, 2007).
* Possibility of nuclear waste reduction through recycling processes- At present, there is sufficient knowledge of reprocessing and recycling of waste matter (Souza, 2006). Recycling will help in making use of the waste material from nuclear plants by a greater percentage than it was before hence conserving the environment.
* There is no geographical limitation- The construction of nuclear plants requires little space compared to other energy sources like the wind farm (Silverman & Kaplan, 1980). However, the plants are normally situated at the coast since water is needed for cooling, thus posing threat to drinking water sources.
* Nuclear energy is reliable- Since the energy does not rely on weather, its production is consistent throughout. More resources that could have been used in creation of power backups and storages are saved (Souza, 2006). This shows that nuclear energy is stable and can be used for long periods without interruptions.
* It is easy to control the power output- Power from a nuclear station can be easily moderated to suit the needs of the users. However, Pearce, (2012) states that the time factor for output alteration is relatively higher than that of fossil fuels.
* Nuclear energy creates well-paying job opportunities (Newton, 2013). Since highly skilled work force is considered in the production of nuclear energy, it means that high payments are expected due to high levels of technologies used.
* It reduces dependency on foreign energy like oil and gas. During the nuclear production process, high temperatures are produced. The energy is accompanied by hydrogen which can be harnessed for commercial use (Silverman & Kaplan, 1980). Harnessing hydrogen generates more income as the surplus can be sold to those in need.
There are also disadvantages associate with nuclear energy as discussed below.
* Nuclear energy is toxic. Given the fact nuclear energy does not result from organic matter, its toxicity would reduce the emissions of the greenhouse. The process of mining and transportation of uranium, construction of nuclear plants as well as storage of wastes resulting from the process leads to the production of carbon (IV) oxide gas (Souza, 2006).
* Nuclear energy is an alternative for the electrical energy only. This means that it will only be used where electrical energy is used and it will not replace other road fuels. The inability of nuclear energy to replace road fuels will not serve the effective purpose of being the answer to the energy crisis across all energy sectors (Souza, 2006).
* It is a threat to global security. The plants enriched with uranium can be misused by the terrorist to make dangerous weapons (Caldicott, 2007). Also, there is no nuclear reactor that would endure a direct strike from a plane like the jumbo jet. Therefore, a successful nuclear attack could cause adverse impacts that could leave people with no place to hide.
* Nuclear energy associated accidents are likely to happen. E.g. the Chemorbyl nuclear accident left many people death and several casualties. The process of production, handling and storage of nuclear power is very delicate (Caldicott, 2007). Therefore, any minor leakage or near misses can lead to explosions or gas poisoning.
* Personal exposure to harmful radiations may lead to health problems (Pearce, 2012). Those people working in the nuclear plants are always subjected to dangerous radiations resulting from the nuclear fission process thus reducing their life expectancies.
* The use of nuclear energy leads to global warming. In nuclear power stations, steam turbines are used to produce energy. The turbines produce hot steam which rises to the atmosphere hence causing an increase in temperatures (Pearce,...