nuclear energy: a necessary ‘evil’ for human advancement?
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Nuclear Energy: A Necessary ‘Evil’ for Human Advancement?. Drew Mirante – Bryn Mawr College. Is this the image that comes to one’s mind when considering nuclear energy?. "Fat Man" Mushroom Cloud Over Nagasaki. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Nuclear Energy: A Necessary ‘Evil’ for Human Advancement?
Drew Mirante – Bryn Mawr College
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"Fat Man" Mushroom Cloud Over Nagasaki http://www.childrenofthemanhattanproject.org/
COLLECTIONS/CG-JPAP/Pages/CGP-JPAP-034.htm
Is this the image that comes to one’s mind when considering nuclear energy?
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Or this?
Exterior of the Chernobyl power plant after the 26 April, 1986 explosion.
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Or this?
Low-level waste disposal at Hanford, Washington
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Why not this?
Image from Int’l Dark-sky Alliance
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What causes this reaction?
• The U.S. as the only nation to use atomic weapons against mankind?– The subsequent Cold War with the USSR?
• ‘Ephemeral’ Nature of Nuclear Processes?
• Environmental Issues?– Potentially Severe Accidents– Disposal/Storage/Transport of waste material
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• Given the instability in the world’s petroleum producing regions, is it of national interest to develop alternative energy sources?– Begs the question, why not other renewable
energy sources?
• Power Plants release no Greenhouse Gasses
• What of Emerging Industrialized Nations?
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CO2 Emissions by Power Sector – 2025Million Metric tons
Sources: EIA, Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2003, DOE/EIA-0573(2003)
Coal - 2677
Natural Gas - 507
Other - 22Oil - 109
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North American Energy Consumption, 2025
Quadrillion BTU
Coal (33.2)
20%
Oil (65.2)
40%
Natural Gas (39.6) 24%
Nuclear Electric (9.9)
6%
Other (14.1) 9%
Sources: EIA, Annual Energy Outlook 2005, DOE/EIA-0383(2005)
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Asian Emerging Economies Energy Consumption - 2025
Nuclear Electric (6.5)
3%
Coal (89.6)
44%
Other (11.6) 6%
Oil (69.6)
35%
Natural Gas (4.4) 11%
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136 Reactors – 31 Shutdown, Decommissioned, Suspended, or Cancelled
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