Name: Piolo Julius G.

Cabagnot Date Submitted: May 2, 2021

Course & Year: BSME – III Offering No.: Z189

MEng 141.3 – Energy Engineering & Management

Insight Paper for Lecture-Series 2

Energy is a resource that underpins civil society. It takes an important role in every aspect
of life making it a necessity to fuel the modern world. However, in many countries the rising energy
demand profile is far outstripping the available supply. This holds true to the existing reality in
most of the developing nations like the Philippines. With this global concern, it has been a
challenge for every country in the present to respond in resolving issues relating to energy security
while at the same time taking an active role in global attempts to combat climate change.

Because energy plays such an important role in the world, it influences the economy, the
environment, international relations, and the making of political decisions. Energy sources,
whether they be wind, coal, solar, oil, or nuclear, have become a very controversial topic because
of it being a fundamental requirement of modern society. Due to its growing popularity and
seemingly unlimited availability of energy supply, nuclear energy has significantly risen to the top
among these different energy sources. By definition, nuclear energy is the energy stored in the
nucleus or core of an atom. Personally, I have grown dumping the idea of using nuclear power. I
used to assume that nuclear power is more of a risk than a viable choice because the effects it
causes are much more harmful to the world than the benefits it provides. But true enough that
awareness through proper education is necessary in order to come up with a justified conclusion
on things. I had a shift of idea after learning more about nuclear energy during the conducted
orientation. I couldn’t agree more how important for us to comprehend the nuclear power history,
the consequences of decisions taken on nuclear energy development, and both of the short and
long-term effects of the decisions made in the utilization of this such powerful energy source.
Nuclear energy has the potential to be the world's next major energy source if only we gain a
better understanding of it and expand the application of its technology. I agree how the global
society must start on taking actions in tapering off its dependence on large-scale fossil fuels. It is
impossible for us to continue to indefinitely rely on the combustion of gas, oil, and coal to meet
the majority of our energy needs. That is why the restriction towards the use of fossil resources,
primarily as feedstock for industrial purposes and for residential purposes, has to be initiated.
Numerous alternative energies may be regarded to be in the inevitable phase of progressively
replacing the conventional fossil fuels, with the majority being employed in different purposes,
including those utilizing nuclear energy. Nuclear fission technology can provide the massive
amounts of energy required to operate modern industrial economies safely, efficiently, effectively,
and sustainably, both in terms of the environment and the available resource base. Industrialized
countries should lead the way in this transition because they are better equipped to do so, having
built the requisite technical and mature economic base. Nonetheless, such a significant change
of the energy supply system cannot be achieved in a matter of few years without having far-
reaching implications to the society as a whole. I believe that the idea of widespread use of
nuclear energy should be introduced gradually and methodically in order to cause the least
amount of outrage, particularly among those who are opposed to it.

Along with the promising advantages of nuclear energy, it is undeniable that it could still
pose harm to the society at some point especially when it is being manipulated for personal
interest. In a world where everyone is out for themselves and obsessed with dominating others,
there is a good chance that nuclear power will be used to wreak havoc. But despite all these, may
the advantages of a powerful energy such as nuclear energy be optimized for the interest of not
just one person or group, but instead the general public and be aimed to shape the future of the
global energy system.