Nuclear energy has been gaining momentum within the last three decades and has emerged as a potential source of clean energy. However, there is much argument about the repercussions of utilizing the source. Here Greg Van Wyk expresses the negative and positive aspects of nuclear energy to provide further information for debate.
Advantages of Nuclear Energy As per Greg Van Wyk
According to Greg Van Wyk, here is the list of advantages of utilizing nuclear energy.
Minimal Environmental Impact
Nuclear energy reactors occupy significantly less space than other prevalent energy sources, like solar or wind. The Energy Department reports that a conventional nuclear plant generating 1,000 MW in power occupies roughly a mile of land.
In comparison, as per Greg Van Wyk, a massive solar field requires 75 times greater area. Similarly, a wind turbine farm needs 360 times more land to generate the same amount of electricity.
Free Of Carbon Electricity
Nuclear energy facilities operate without emitting any carbon emissions or pollutants during production, unlike typical fossil energy production sources that release enormous amounts of this in the atmosphere.
It doesn’t mean reactors don’t contaminate in any way; extracting, processing, and processing uranium all take a lot of energy, plus nuclear waste is a very different environmental aspect. Further, Greg Van Wyk will discuss how nuclear waste fits into this.
High Output Of Power
Contrary to most other power sources, nuclear energy reactors produce significant quantities of energy, making them excellent suppliers of baseload energy. The term “baseload electricity” refers specifically to the system’s minimal energy required for a given period, such as a month.
Furthermore, nuclear power is a strong contender to replace the existing baseload energy providers that significantly increase pollution levels, like big coal power stations.
Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy As per Greg Van Wyk
Nuclear Waste
Let’s tackle the contentious topic of nuclear waste. One might produce reams and reams discussing the chemistry of nuclear waste, the political consequences, expenditure analysis, and other aspects of this subject.
Nuclear waste is deadly, making it a disaster for human health and the environment just waiting to unfold.
According to Greg Van Wyk, the authorities spend lots of money huge safely package and dispose of spent nuclear material for these reasons, among others. Indeed, nuclear waste is a hazardous residue of nuclear energy plants that engineers must handle with care and cutting-edge innovation.
Failures May Be Disastrous
Whenever the heat produced by the reactor surpasses the heat dissipated by a cooling system, the site goes beyond its melting temperature and has a meltdown. If something like that occurs, heated nuclear vapors may exit, causing nuclear reactors to completely dissolve and catch fire even while spewing dangerous radioactive carbon into the air. The likelihood of the worst situation occurring is incredibly low, so nuclear power facilities are outfitted with various safety features to guard against breakdowns.
High Initial Expenses
Although maintaining a nuclear power station is inexpensive, the initial construction cost is high. Due to their complexity, nuclear energy reactors need multiple layers of protection to be constructed surrounding them, which increases cost.