Energy and Construction - Clima2007

Billie Said:

Is this a feasible way of having clean nuclear energy, plus possibly heightening the nation's energy supply?

We Answered:

Extremophile are microbes that can survive 15 times the radiation that humans can. They thrive in witches brews of toxic chemicals - eat the toxins, and excrete relatively harmless components. Plans are to breed these charming little devils to clean up nuclear waste and other pollutants.

Allison Said:

how does this pic explain how nuclear energy is clean?

We Answered:

With imagination and creativity, you can do more than just answer quickly on this site (as the other ones did).

I think you could use this picture to speak about nuclear energy. Sure it's not the first thing you would think about, but if you have to give a try...

Here are a few aspects that you could go for. I don't want to debate on whether or not we should use nuclear energy. But one of the aspects about it is that except the potential dangers, and the problem of storing the nuclear wastes, nuclear energy is pretty clean. Every other ways of making electricity has a (relatively) big downside.

For instance, other alternative energies, like hydroelectricity. It seems pretty clean, yet it destroys the equilibrium of our rivers and expands on animal habitats. So if we wanted to use a lot more of hydroelectricity, many of our lakes and rivers (as presented on the right of your picture) would be at risk.

Another alternative energy is by making ethanol out of plants. To make a significant amount of that energy, we would have to use an incredible quantity of fields that we desperately need for our food right now. (the pictures on the left can be referred.

So you could say that if we want to keep our planet as it is presented on your picture, we should use nuclear energy.

I repeat, I do not want to start a debate on the subject. I just wanted to give you a direction that might help you.

Reginald Said:

Will Nuclear Energy Rise Up As The Only Clean Power Generator For The Future?

We Answered:

Nuclear POwer is not Clean Power. Just because it doesn't have any carbon emissions doesn't make it green, or renewable. In fact there are serious concerns as to the levels of plutonium and uranium that are available for processing. Added to which, they are usually mined in politically unstable locations.

Nuclear power creates a very dangerous volume of waste - and even after re-processing it is still highliy radioactive and will continue to be for tens of thousands of years afterwards. Decomissioning of old nuclear power plants still leaves an area that is highliy radioactive - so whichever way you look at it you are consuming large amounts of natural resources to build nuclear power stations, run them, fuel them and store their waste.

Truely green energy can only be thought of as those methods that generate electricity from the Earth's natural energy (wind, wave, geothermal) without any adverse emissions (both carbon or nuclear).

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Following on from your revision:

I have done some work investingating the commercial potential for renewable resources and the one form that came back as a positive was offshore windpower. This is particularly the case in Western Europe, especially for the UK & Ireland, Spain, Nordics and Balkans. Wind conditions in these areas are continually reliable and strong. Offshore offers the industrial scale needed to provide consistent, high levels of energy without the "Not In My Back Yard" phenomena.

When considering the levels of carbon reduction comitments that EU countries and other Kyoto signatures have agreed upon, the tax breaks and investment opportunities available, Wind POwer and other offshore projects (tidal, wave) have the most backing as well as the chance of being the most productive.

Richard Said:

Is nuclear energy a form of 'clean energy'?

We Answered:

No energy source can claim to be 100% clean or 100% safe, each has advantages and disadvantages. Nuclear has a very low risk for a very high benefit. Cradle to grave, nuclear power plants produce very little environmental impact for a very large amount of reliable power produced.
Nuclear power, I believe is the best, safest, most reliable, current technology to provide energy. The plants operating now are safe and the new designs are even safer.
Building 100's of new nuclear power plants would improve the economy, reduce or eliminate dependence on foreign oil, create jobs, reduce pollution, and provide for future technological advancement.
I have been working with nuclear power for about 30 years, I would be glad to have a Nuclear power plant or high level waste disposal facility in my backyard. My family and I live in a home within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant. (where I work) I have a great understanding of the risks involved and am completely comfortable with a plant "in my backyard". I have confidence that my grandchildren’s grandchildren will be smart enough to treat the nuclear "waste" as a valuable resource or at least smart enough to handle it safely . If the cavemen thought their children would be too stupid to use fire safely, where would we be now?
Using Chernobyl as a reason not to build is like saying because of the Hindenburg I will never fly in a commercial airliner.
Nuclear power has the smallest environmental impact of any current energy production method per unit of energy produced. One fuel pellet about the size of a pencil eraser produces the same energy as about 1 ton of coal, and if reprocessed 2/3 of what’s left can be reclaimed. Nuclear power is our best option for reliable, environmentally friendly base-load electrical power.

Terrence Said:

clean nuclear energy is good right now?

We Answered:

Also developing the pebble bed reactors or slow fission reactors can cut down on waste as they can run on spent fuel rods. If spent fuel rods are used it shortens the time they need to be stored to only hundreds of years instead of thousands to become non radioactive.

Roland Said:

How can I make the Prime Minister of my own country (Australia) understand that Nuclear energy is not clean?

We Answered:

send him a free sample in the mail