scientific
What is the main source of nuclear energy?
Uranium!
What is a major upfront cost challenge for nuclear energy?
Construction. Power plants must be very safe and follow specific layouts making them very cost inefficient.
What is the largest environmental benefit of nuclear energy?
Minimal emission of green house gases compared to fossil fuels.
What political advantage does nuclear energy provide to nations?
Countries would not longer rely on imported fossil fuels, giving them more autonomy.
What social benefit can nuclear energy offer?
Reliable electricity to support industries, communities, and more.
How technically reliable is nuclear energy compared to other forms of green energy?
Very! Compared to solar and wind energy that depend on the weather nuclear energy is constantly running in power plants.
What economic advantage does nuclear energy offer once the power plants are up and running?
Cost efficiency. While the construction of said plants are a large upfront expense, nuclear energy besides being “green” is also known for being fairly cheap.
On an environmental level jow does nuclear compare to other forms of energy?
Nuclear’s impact per unit of electricity is much smaller due to the immense amount of electricity it is able to generate, making its emissions so small in comparison to other methods like solar or wind.
What major political risk is associated with nuclear energy?
The technology involved can be very destructive and deadly and can even be taken advantage of to create weapons which would raise concerns between conflicting nations.
What ethical concern arises regarding waste and future generations?
The long term effects of radioactive waste.
What is one problem nuclear energy companies still face?
The disposing of radioactive waste and material has proven to be a problem and very harmful to the environment.
What are some economic risks that may arise?
Delays in construction, overruns, interest rates sensitivities.
What is the largest concern with nuclear energy?
Long-lived radioactive waste. That waste is already broken down and tends to be almost permanent (but nothing lasts forever).
How do international relations factor into nuclear energy?
Countries must commit to treaties, regulations and oversights to precent misuse of the technology.
How do local communities factor into the social dimension of nuclear energy?
Communities living near plants or waste sites are likely to be under larger risks if anything were to go wrong.
What is the largest concern associated with nuclear power plants?
Safety!! (radiation leaks, reactor meltdowns, etc…)
What effect can nuclear energy have on the electricity markets?
Displace higher cost fossil generation due to its low cost.
How is the mining for nuclear fuel an environmental concern?
Uranium mining can affect the quality of water/soil, produce tailings, and expose workers to radon and other hazards.
What domestic political challenge can nuclear energy face?
Public opposition due to safety concerns.
What social inequality issue may nuclear energy raise?
Communities of lower class residents tend to be the ones to live near plants and waste sites.
What is the largest factor that limits nuclear energy’s fuel?
Uranium is very radioactive and hard to come by as it quickly decomposes so mining and refining it tends to be difficult and cause many environmental set backs.
What is one long term expense that cannot be removed?
Waste management for radioactive waste.
What are the top three pollutants involved with nuclear energy?
1. Waste
2. Mining
3. Construction
How does nuclear energy intertwine with climate policy politics?
While nuclear is low on carbon emissions it is expensive and has its large risks.
What ethical trade-off does nuclear energy entail with climate change context?
Ethically there’s a tension between using nuclear energy to decarbonize and exposing present & future people to risks from nuclear waste or accidents