The world’s energy needs grow with its population. However there Details on Govind Bhutada of Visual Capitalist below, To achieve a net zero carbon economy while meeting our growing energy needs, clean, sustainable and reliable sources must play a bigger role. Nuclear power is one such source of energy.
The above graphic from the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust highlights how uranium powers one of the cleanest and most reliable sources of nuclear power.
The cleanest energy sources
Although all energy sources have compromises, some are better for the environment than others.
To find the cleanest energy sources Our world in data Calculated CO2-equivalent emissions per gigawatt hour (GWh) of electricity generated over the life cycle of power plants for various energy sources. These include the footprint of raw materials, transportation and construction of power plants.
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Unsurprisingly, coal, oil, and natural gas power plants emit far more greenhouse gases than their renewable and non-renewable counterparts. In fact, the emissions per GWh from coal-fired power plants are roughly 273 times higher than nuclear power plants.
Hydropower offers a cleaner and more renewable alternative to fossil fuels, but concrete and materials used in dam construction add to the emissions. In addition, the decomposition of underwater vegetation in reservoirs also releases methane and carbon dioxide into the environment. Nevertheless, the emissions per GWh from hydropower are around 24 times lower than coal.
Solar and wind are often the most frequently cited energy sources when it comes to the clean energy transition. However, their energy densities are lower than fossil fuels and therefore they often need more units to generate the same amount of electricity. For example, the generation of one GWh of electricity can be more than Three million Photovoltaic modules or 412 Utility-scale wind turbines. The construction of these huge solar and wind parks adds up to a relatively large material footprint and, consequently, greenhouse gas emissions.
This is where nuclear power comes in.
Why is nuclear power the cleanest source of energy?
Nuclear power plants use fission to generate electricity without any combustion, which avoids emissions from the electricity generation process. Plus, it only takes a typical one on average Nuclear reactor to generate one GWh of electricity. The power generation capacity of nuclear reactors is largely due to the high energy density of uranium and nuclear fuel.
According to the US Department of Energy, a single uranium pellet the size of an eraser contains the same amount of energy as 120 gallons of oil or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas. This enables nuclear power plants to generate large amounts of electricity efficiently, making them one of the cleanest energy sources per GWh of electricity produced.
The role of nuclear energy in the clean energy transition
Nuclear power offers several advantages in the transition to clean energy.
Not only is nuclear power carbon free and sustainable, it’s also one of the most reliable and safest sources of energy. In fact, nuclear power plants in the United States have a capacity factor of 92.5%which means they run at maximum capacity almost 93% of the time during a year.
As one of the cleanest, most powerful and most reliable sources of energy, nuclear power could play a key role in helping countries achieve decarbonization goals in the fight against climate change.
From Zerohedge.com
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