Unlike Energy Production From Coal Essay

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Unlike energy production from coal and other fossil fuels, nuclear power does not lead to the emission of greenhouse gases. Therefore, nuclear power is often included in the arsenal of options for environmentally sound power generation. Including nuclear power in a progressive energy protocol is a sensible option for the future; at least until a major breakthrough in power generation occurs.

Nuclear power is not without its problems, though. One of its gravest problems from an environmental standpoint is the toxic waste produced by the nuclear fission process. Most nuclear waste is radioactive and cannot be disposed of in unequivocally safe ways, although proponents of the technology downplay the dangers of radioactive waste disposal ("Nuclear Power Now" nd; Till nd). The Chernobyl accident sounded an alarm about the severe short-term and long-term consequences of nuclear power. Human error can lead to human fatalities and multi-generational issues such as genetic mutations (Till nd).

In spite of the concerns and genuine dangers of nuclear power production, it remains an integral and essential part of the world's energy portfolio. The United States currently garners about 20% of its electricity from nuclear power plants ("Nuclear Power Now" nd). Moreover, nuclear power poses fewer direct dangers than coal-produced electricity ("Nuclear Power Now" nd).

Furthermore, nuclear physicists are working towards solutions to the problem of radioactive waste disposal. Scientists hope also to devise new ways of improving nuclear power production processes, and most importantly, to minimize the creation of radioactive waste. As waste creation is minimized and waste storage is made safer, nuclear power will become a more sensible option. Until then, it should remain a small but significant percentage of all electricity generation worldwide because nuclear power does not exacerbate the immediate problem of greenhouse gas emissions.

References

"Nuclear Power Now." (nd). Retrieved 10 Nov 2009 from http://www.nuclearnow.org/

Sample, I. (2008). Beginner's guide: how nuclear power works. Guardian. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 10 Nov 2009 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/apr/30/particlephysics.energy1

Till, C. (nd). Interview with PBS Frontline. Retrieved 10 Nov 2009 from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reaction/etc./faqs.html

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