Nuclear versus Renewable Energy 1

Running head: Nuclear versus Renewable energy

Comparison of nuclear and Renewable energy SID: 0926018 Anglia Ruskin University

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Contents
Running head: Nuclear versus Renewable energy.....................................................................1 Comparison of nuclear and Renewable energy..........................................................................1 SID: 0926018..............................................................................................................................1 Anglia Ruskin University...........................................................................................................1 Contents......................................................................................................................................2 ABSTRACT...............................................................................................................................4 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................4 LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................................................5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................10 RESEARCH RESULTS...........................................................................................................11 EVALUATION OF RESULTS, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION..........................13 CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................14 REFERENCE ..........................................................................................................................14 Bajoria, J., 2009. The U.S India deal. Available at: http://www.cfr.org/publication/9663/usindia_nuclear_deal.html [accessed 26 0ctober 2010]. ..................................................................................................................................................15 Campbell, D., 2009. Legacy of the Chernobyl disaster. Guardian online [online] 2 July. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jul/02/radiation-effects-chernobyl [accessed 2 November 2010] ...................................................................................................15 http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9C01E3D9103FF931A25753C1A9669D8B63&ref=matthew_l_wald [accessed 26 October 2010]...........................................................................................................................16 BIBLIOGRAPY.......................................................................................................................16

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ABSTRACT
The fear is that the time will come that if we depend only on fossil fuels as a source of energy might lead the world to not having a sustainable future. Fossils fuels contribute to global warming and once used up it cannot be replaced, therefore alternative energy such as nuclear and renewable energy are put in consideration and practise. This report focuses on the comparison of nuclear and renewable energy. The research method used is a qualitative method. The efficiency, safety and necessity of using nuclear and renewable energy are considered in the report. The report does not focus on what type of energy source is reliable but reveals the possibility of using it effectively.

INTRODUCTION
The change in the climate reveals the need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels which contribute to greenhouse gas emission. Alternative energy sources

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are required to reduce the greenhouse gas emission and to provide a sustainable future. This report focuses on the comparison of nuclear and renewable energy. The comparison is not to determine which is more reliable but to give the world a view, that with investments, all these forms of energy can be efficient. The report contains the literature review, research methodology, research result, evaluation of result and findings. The literature review explains the benefits and disadvantages of using nuclear and renewable energy. The research methodology gives detail of how the research was done.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Energy performs a fundamental role in the entire world today. It sustains our standard of livelihood; with changes in the climate there is a need to considerably reduce our dependant on fossil fuels. Once it is used up it can not be replaced and it also contributes to global warming (National research council, 2008; Abdullah, 2007) for this reasons other means of energy were put into consideration and actions, this leads me to the comparison of nuclear

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and renewable energy. The different types of energy aim to provide electricity. Nuclear energy originates from the splitting of uranium atoms which is not a renewable resource unlike wind, water, solar, geothermal or biomass power (Morris, 2007). This literature review focuses on the benefits and disadvantages of the different forms of energy to provide electricity. Presently there is a contest on the use of nuclear energy and renewable energy (Acton, 2009). There is a great deal of fear amongst the public about the use of nuclear energy, caused by accidents such as Chernobyl in 1986 and Three Mile Island in 1979(Campbell,2009). These accidents happened as a result of the failure in the use of the nuclear power plant. It is a concern which is becoming more relevant as we move towards a time when fossil fuel resources may run out, making it essential to find other power sources. Renewable energy sources such as hydroelectric power which converts water falling through damns into electricity, geothermal energy which converts heat in rocks into power, wind farm generating power from the wind, solar panels which convert solar energy into electricity are brought into consideration in investment.

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According to Godfrey (1996) many environmentalists see nuclear power as a cause of environmental damage. In terms of safety in the usage of both types of energies, nuclear energy does not produce gaseous emission such as green house gases which are harmful to the environment (Nuclear energy Institute, 2010). Green house gases are gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorocarbon and increase in the concentration of the green house gases results in global warming. It is true that nuclear power produces radioactive waste which is a nuclear waste that poses a threat to the environment, however; it is preferable compared to the damage done by the burning of fossil fuels. As new technologies are processed these provide a means of reducing the nuclear waste. Looking at the speed at which nuclear technology is developing it is fair to say that with more investment nuclear energy can turn out to be a desirable source of energy. It is sadly the case that nuclear industry has had a bad reputation for safety involving the two nuclear accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl which was built with old style reactors and made worse by poor security standards. Developments in technology have made modern nuclear reactors safer. It is also vital to look at the option of renewable energy when considering the form of energy to invest in. There are huge problems with every form of

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renewable energy; the most capable source of renewable energy is the hydroelectric power. On the other hand building a large dam essentially floods a large region behind the dam which in turn can have a negative affect on thousands of people. There is also an issue with the environmental cost of building dams. A good example is the Aswan dam in Egypt along Nile, the construction of the dam led to thousands of people losing their homes and also caused destruction to wild life. Solar energy as another renewable energy has certainly not lived up to expectation. A solar panel the size of Europe would be needed to power a city the size of London (Acton, 2009). Considering other renewable source of energy wind energy is slightly better(Wald, 2010), the worst performers of all has been the geothermal and tidal energy which have been inefficient because no rock has been found that is hot enough and no wave has been found that is strong enough. It is perfectly true that alternative energies are not efficient enough to serve the energy the worlds population needs. Nevertheless, with investment all these techniques possibly will be made efficient enough to supply mankind. Looking at the situation from a different angle you will see that there is almost always one renewable source a country could exploit, like the

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sun for equatorial countries, hot rock for volcanic regions and others according to the location that can make the renewable sources work effectively. Spreading the peaceful use of nuclear power brings vital security benefits, under the Non-Proliferation Treaty the declared nuclear power states which are the USA, UK, Russia, France, and China have promised to help other countries in getting hold of civilian nuclear power provided they in turn do not seek nuclear weapons (Bajoria, 2009). This has only happened to a limited extent, but Increasing number of countries seek nuclear materials for military purposes, so it is the concern of the declared nuclear weapons state to defend their side of the deal more strongly, so that others can be held to theirs. However, encouraging the further use of nuclear power is against our security interest. The scientific technology used in generating nuclear power is the same used in creating nuclear weapons; this may provide a means for some states to pretend to have interest in only peaceful uses but secretly using it for military applications. This is the route India and Israel has followed (Bajoria, 2009). Widespread use of nuclear power plants is at risk of terrorism.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research methodology defines what the activity of the research is and how and where the information was found. It provides a focus on the comparison of nuclear energy and renewable energy to give the world a means of a sustainable future. The research methodology attempts to provide a better means of power supply of electricity for the world, which reduces the amount of greenhouse gases that results in global warming. Therefore, the safety of using these means of power supply is also put into consideration is it safer to use nuclear energy than renewable energy?

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The method used in this research is a qualitative method. The research event was done mainly in the library leading to the collection of information from books, e-books, online newspapers, and online websites. Searching for information using the library system resulted in books in relation to the topic of the research. The research event in the internet led to different kinds of data about the research topic; however there were considerations on what kind of source to be used. The use of the internet gave access to online newspapers and online websites concerning the research project.

RESEARCH RESULTS
1.The environmental safety of these forms of energy. 2.The threat of using nuclear energy as nuclear weapon.
3. The efficiency of renewable energy.

4.The necessity of using alternative forms of energy.

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The table below shows the sources of radiation exposure to members of the public UK. Source Average annual dose( mSv)^1 Average annual dose(mSv)^1 %

NATURAL (2.20 Msv or 87 %

Cosmic

0.25

10

Terrestrial Gamma^2 ( from rocks, soil, etc) Internal Irradiation (from naturally occurring radiation in the food we eat) Radon/Thoron^2 (radioactive gases emitted from some rocks and building materials) MAN MADE (0.326 mSv or 13%) Medical Miscellaneous^3 Fallout Occupational Exposure Radioactive Waste Disposal( all sources

0.33

14

0.3

12

1.30

51

0.3 0.01 0.01 0.005 0.001

12 0.4 0.4 0.2 <0.1

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including nuclear power stations, nuclear reprocessing plants, hospitals and research laboratories) Source: Derived from Hughes, J.S., K.B. Shaw & M.C. ORiordan (1989) Radiation exposure of the UK population 1988 Review

EVALUATION OF RESULTS, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION

Reviewing the results from the research, there is no doubt that there is a similarity between the different forms of energy which is to provide a sustainable energy. Although there are concerns with the environmental safety of using these forms of energy, with investments in each of them could make it safer. In the case of using nuclear energy as a means of terrorism, a country that is not part of the nonproliferation treaty that intends to use nuclear energy should be examined, if approved of using nuclear energy, the non-proliferation treaty should

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assign its own security. If not approved then the renewable form of energy that suits that region should be used.

CONCLUSION
In summary, nuclear energy is more efficient than renewable energy but has issues with radioactive waste. Renewable energy is also a good source of energy but has its own issues like the use of damns causing flooding. However with investment these sources of energy can be safer and more efficient. The comparison of nuclear and renewable energy brings out the benefits and disadvantages, not to determine which form of energy is more reliable but to give the world a better chance of making the decision on what kind of energy source to use.

REFERENCE
Abdullah, R.H., 2007. Stop using fossil fuel. The stars online [online] 8 may. Available at: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?

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file=/2007/5/8/southneast/17638244&sec=southneast [accessed 20 October 2010]. Acton, J., 2009. Nuclear versus Renewable sources. Available at: http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php? topicID=15 [accessed 18 October 2010]

Bajoria, J., 2009. The U.S India deal. Available at: http://www.cfr.org/publication/9663/usindia_nuclear _deal.html [accessed 26 0ctober 2010]. Campbell, D., 2009. Legacy of the Chernobyl disaster. Guardian online [online] 2 July. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jul/02/r adiation-effects-chernobyl [accessed 2 November 2010] Godfrey, B., 1996. Renewable energy: power for a sustainable future. Oxford: Oxford university press. Kozloff, L. And Dower, C., 1993. A new power base: Renewable energy policies for the nineties and beyond, world resource institute. Morris, N., 2009. Nuclear power. London: Franklin watts.

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National research council (U.S) 2008; Review of DOEs nuclear energy research and development program.pg101, National Academic press, Washington D.C Nuclear energy Institute, 2010. Nuclear energy plays essential role in climate change initiatives. Available at: http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/ protectingtheenvironment/policybrief/nuclearenergycli matechangeinitiatives/?page=2 [accessed 18 October 2010]

Wald, M., 2010. Offshore wind power line winds praise and backing. The New York times online [online] 12 October. Available at: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9C01E3D9103FF931A25753C1A9669D8B63&ref=matthew_ l_wald [accessed 26 October 2010].

BIBLIOGRAPY

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Chernobyl Forum (2006) Chernobyls legacy: Health, Environmental and socio-Economic Impacts and Recommendations to the Governments of Belarus, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) (2005) Tent report. The incidence of childhood cancer around nuclear installations in Great Britain. Health protection Agency June 2005. The principles of nuclear power http://www.theiet.org/factfiles/energy/nuclearprinciples.cfm?type=pdf Nuclear decommissioning http://www.theiet.org/factfiles/energy/nucdec.cfm? type=pdf Russian Federation and Ukraine (The Chernobyl Forum: 2003-2005, Second revised version). http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Chernobyl/c hernobyl.pdf

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