Since its birth rooting from the development of the atomic bomb in 1945, nuclear energy promised a clean alternative to fossil fuel. Yet, more than 70 years later, fossil fuels remain the greatest source of energy across the globe by a long shot. What happened to nuclear energy? What has stopped it from replacing fossil fuels?
To answer this question, we’ll explore what nuclear energy is and how it works in this first article. Nuclear energy is the energy released from the nucleus of an atom, which is made of protons and neutrons, during fusion or fission. Fusion is the process of combining atoms together, whereas fission is the process of splitting atoms.
Scientists have not been able to develop nuclear fusion for practical power generation. However, nuclear fission has been and is used today in a variety of applications. Nuclear fission can create the immense explosions used in atomic bombs through instantaneous chain reactions. If controlled, however, fission can also be used in nuclear power plants, slowed to release energy in smaller amounts. Let’s take a closer look at what fission really is.
According to the Department of Energy, a nuclear fission reaction begins when a particle, which includes neutrons, alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays, strikes the nucleus of an atom. The collision breaks the nucleus into fragments that form into new neutrons. These, in turn, collide with other nuclei and cause more fission reactions. During the whole process, large amounts of heat and radiation are released. Power plants use this heat to boil water, creating steam that drives turbines which generate electricity.
The difference between an atomic bomb and a nuclear power plant is that atomic bombs are designed to “release as much energy as possible in the blink of an eye” and power plants are designed to “achieve a steady, controlled release of heat” (DOE). Therefore, power plants have cooling systems to prevent overheating and control rods that absorb traveling neutrons, controlling the rate at which the reaction occurs.
Another difference between the bomb and the power plant is the waste. We are all familiar with the devastating, radioactive wasteland created by atomic bombs, but the nuclear waste from power plants is quite different. Spent nuclear fuel is a solid, securely stored on site in many plants. The Department of Energy states that all the fuel from the past 70 years of operation in commercial power plants would fit in a football field. Nonetheless, spent nuclear fuel is still very dangerous due to high levels of heat and radiation. Without proper treatment, waste can pose a lethal threat for hundreds of thousands of years.
As of 2021, there are only 92 nuclear reactors in the United States, but they generate 19% of electricity in the United States. Nuclear power accounts for half the country’s clean energy. Each nuclear power plant produces around 1 gigawatt of power, the equivalent of 3.125 million photovoltaic (solar) panels, 431 wind turbines, 100 million LED bulbs, or 1.3 million horsepower.
In conclusion, nuclear power plants are a relatively clean source of energy, generating massive amounts of electricity for the past several decades. While it has shown much progress, there are clearly limitations preventing nuclear power from becoming our primary source of energy. Among these limitations include high costs, waste management, public opposition, and safety concerns for citizens and the environment, which we’ll look in depth into these limitations in the next article.
Works Cited:
“DOE Explains… Nuclear Fission.” U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsnuclear-fission.
“U.S. Energy Facts Explained.” U.S. Energy Information Administration, https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/.
“Nuclear Energy.” U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/nuclear#:~:text=Nuclear%20power%2C%20the%20use%20of,to%20support%20national%20defense%20activities.
“Infographic: How Much Power Does a Nuclear Reactor Produce?” U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/infographic-how-much-power-does-nuclear-reactor-produce.
Myers, Liz. “The 7 Reasons Why Nuclear Energy Is Not the Answer to Solve Climate Change.” One Earth, https://www.oneearth.org/the-7-reasons-why-nuclear-energy-is-not-the-answer-to-solve-climate-change/.
“Beyond Oppenheimer: How Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Reactors Are Different.” U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/beyond-oppenheimer-how-nuclear-weapons-and-nuclear-reactors-are-different.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect nor represent the Earth Chronicles and its editorial board.
