The Growing Demand for Energy - 1219 Words

Introduction: The growing demand for energy is one that the supply has never been able to match. This constant search for new and viable energy sources has led to the advent of very unconventional and often controversial sources. One such source is nuclear energy. Since its first commercial introduction in 1960, nuclear energy has grown to become a major player in the energy sector generating 14 percent of the worlds electricity. However, some countries are more dependent on this power source than others. France relies on nuclear for 75.2 percent of its electricity. (National Public Radio, 2011). This potential to generate enormous amounts of energy from fission or fusion reaction is not without its risk. I wish to highlight some†¦show more content†¦Nuclear reactors are design to prevent accident. There is a backup system if something wrong happens. Most of nuclear reactors shutdown automatically if anything wrong happens. This backup system cannot prevent disaster but can limit the disa ster. Even though nuclear reactors are designed according to safety measures, there is a chance of accident. Accidents could be explosion or radiation. These type of accidents can lead to disasters more serious than even we imagine. According to David Pomerantz of Greepeace.org, the chances of an accident occurring is still significant enough to be worried about. He further elaborated that â€Å"If a meltdown were to occur, the accident could kill and injure tens of thousands of people, leaving large regions uninhabitable. And, more than 50 years after splitting the first atom, science has yet to devise a method for adequately handling long lived radioactive wastes.† (Pomerantz, 2011). In the same article, he explained that radioactive wastes from the reactors were treated as rock compost and is being buried in impervious layers of rocks. But as we know, radioactive materials are capable of passing through other materials effortlessly. Debates are also being raged on as to the possibility of these buried radioactive waste contaminating the underground water supply. If such contamination ever happens, the environmental effect would be very deadly. Manmade and Natural Accident Risks: Just like every business, the nuclear energyShow MoreRelatedGrowing energy demands, rising energy costs, and increasing concern about global climate change900 Words   |  4 Pages Growing energy demands, rising energy costs, and increasing concern about global climate change have sparked strong interest in utilizing alternative energy technologies, such as nuclear power, hydrogen energy, biofuels, and renewable energy. Unlike renewable energy, some alternative energy technologies are not mature enough to be used as a main energy source (biofuels and hydrogen energy). 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