Nuclear and CO2
Article in yesterday's business section of the Sydney Morning Herald about doubts that nuclear energy a good solution to climate change:
Nuclear power's claim to be the answer to global warming is being questioned by reports suggesting mining and processing of uranium is carbon intensive.While nuclear power produces only one 50th of the carbon produced by many fossil fuels, its carbon footprint is rising, making wind power and other renewable energies increasingly attractive, according to environmental groups and some official reports.
Just another reason why nuclear is a bad investment.
Comments
The amount of energy used and the amount of CO2 emitted during the construction of the plant is not trivial since large amounts concrete and steel are required. Also there is extensive use of special alloys in the reactor and the primary heat exchanger.
Nuclear power plants are not particularly thermal efficient, only 30-35% of theoretical i.e., most of the heat from the reactor is ejected as waste heat.
Posted by: Harold Pierce Jr | February 25, 2008 4:07 PM
This selective quoting and discussion of carbon footprints is surely quite confusing. It would be far more meaningful if all phases of an installation were taken account of. I.e. construction, operation, and decommissioning.
Regards,
Mark.
Posted by: Treboona | March 2, 2008 12:17 AM
- The nuclear power accounts for only 3% of the final energy consumed in the world.
Doubling in 20 or 30 years the number of nuclear reactors is impossible and would not have a significant effect on CO2.
Read the details: Nuclear power will not reduce the greenhouse effect
By contrast, replace all nuclear reactors by gas power plants would increase only 2.3% of the greenhouse gases of human origin, or 7 times less than deforestation.
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L'électricité nucléaire représente seulement 3% de l'énergie finale consommée dans le monde.
Doubler en 20 ou 30 ans le nombre de réacteurs nucléaires est impossible et n'aurait pas d'influence sensible sur le CO2.
Lire le détail : L'énergie nucléaire ne réduira pas l'effet de serre
Par contre, remplacer tous les réacteurs nucléaires par des centrales électriques à gaz augmenterait seulement de 2,3% les gaz à effet de serre d'origine humaine, soit 7 fois moins que la déforestation.
Posted by: Gaspard | March 16, 2008 2:52 PM