Is nuclear power the best way to meet the ever-increasing energy needs of Mother Earth?
Despite the incidence of nuclear accidents, there is a growing dependence on nuclear energy because it is a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional sources such as coal and fossil fuel. However, due to the risks involved it cannot be termed as the best way to meet the increasing energy needs of Mankind. Apart from nuclear energy, there are other equally or more environmentally friendly alternatives that are able to meet this increasing energy needs.
Yes, nuclear power is the best way:
- Compared to fossil fuels, nuclear energy is a cleaner source of energy. At a time when there is growing concern about the link between carbon dioxide and other greenhouses gases on the one hand and the warming of our planet on the other, this advantage of nuclear power has become more prominent.
- Nuclear waste can be safely stored away which makes it the best long-term solution for the growing energy needs.
- Nuclear energy is not intermittent, as nuclear power plants can run without any interruptions for a longer time without maintenance, making them a more reliable source of energy.
No, there is no need for censorship:
- Nuclear energy is economical only under a very restricted analysis - by the time you have factored in the costs of construction, insurance, waste disposal and decommissioning, you need huge subsidies.
- There is no secure, risk-free way to store nuclear waste. The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident of catastrophic proportions.
- The growth of nuclear energy has historically increased the ability of nations to obtain or harvest plutonium or enrich uranium to manufacture nuclear weapons.
