Nuclear energy is about splitting atoms in a reactor to heat water into steam and transform thermal energy via a turbine to electricity. It is an arduous mechanism to operate; simultaneously, it is an eco-friendly power mechanism.
Why arduous? Because turning Physics into Engineering is easy on paper but hard in reality. According to Merriam Webster, nuclear energy is ” the energy created by splitting apart the nuclei of atoms.” Nuclear energy is coming from enriched uranium-235 atoms, which are pressed into pellets. These pellets are an incredibly dense form of life resembling gummy bears, small but with lots of energy inside.
In the twentieth century, the world considered that the future was atomic. Still, its pace reduced after the potential threat of using nuclear energy for developing weapons. The world started to misuse nuclear energy. Rather than focusing on its friendly applications, the world indulged in the atomic weapons race. A proof of this was the Cold War.
In the twenty-first-century, experts agree that nuclear energy is pivotal for a sustainable society. But how can this power, perceived as dangerous, change its perception within a couple of decades so that we can address the climate crises? The answer relies on changing the dynamics of the power sector. There are more than 439 nuclear reactors around the world in 31 countries. Similarly, 70 new reactors are under construction, and other 116 plants are planned. A snapshot of the current scenario shows that nuclear energy has become less expensive, easier to build, safer to operate, and controlled with light water reactors’ latest technology. More than 80 percent of the reactors are light water reactors that meet 10 percent of the world’s energy demand.
Nuclear energy has only two well-known negative implications: nuclear proliferation and nuclear waste pollution. Both can be facilitated by various easy techniques, unlike other power impacts. Experts further add that nuclear energy saves money and time; along with this, it’s carbon-free energy; it’s also freeing us from the threat of fossil fuels. Nuclear energy might be the only way to dampen the effects of climate change and prevent catastrophic human-made global warming. It is relatively clean energy.
Its latest development around the world can be further escalated by making it more secure for humanity. There are risks involved in any significant human endeavor, and the world has to make an informed decision rather than rely on the gut feeling that nuclear energy can be dangerous. Nuclear energy is becoming the unexpected truth of today’s power arena, and no one can deny the fact.
