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Nuclear Energy
Is it Renewable?
Nuclear energy is the fourth most popular source of energy, creating huge amounts of energy with small fuel amounts, while releasing virtually no emissions. However, is this wonder source of energy really renewable?
Nuclear energy uses fission to release heat, thus boiling water and turning turbines. It uses U-235 as a fuel, but this is a very rare isotope. In nature it is found in 0.7% lbs in every 100 lbs of U-238. Mining uranium releases large amounts of Co2, unless mined from sea water. Enriching the ore to have enough U-235 further releases pollution. This uranium ore also is not sustainable, as it is an ore that once mined, is not replenishable. There is a large abundance of uranium in seawater, however,and while it is much more sustainable, and releases less Co2, it is costly to mine and then enrich.
The actual production of energy from uranium is much more efficient. Coal releases about 2,200 lbs of Co2 for every megawatt hour of energy. Natural gas releases 1,100 lbs of Co2 per megawatt hour of energy. Nuclear energy releases none. In fact, the only direct effect of production is the release of slightly warmer water into lakes. This water was used for cooling and is returned about 20℉ warmer than when harvested.
The small amount of fuel can produce so much energy that some scientists project that the technology to mine uranium from seawater will be so efficient by the time the ore is gone, nuclear energy, in fact, will be renewable.
In conclusion, nuclear energy is not renewable, at least, not yet. It is, however, one of the cleanest and most efficient energy sources in the world. It produces three times as much energy as every renewable source combined, and will be able to continue this for several thousand years.