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Trade-offs reveal no clear favorites in alternative energy market
September 12, 2007CHICAGO, Ill. The nuclear power industry is riding the green wave back into public favor with its promise of a low-carbon solution to our growing energy needs. But even as the industry struggles to dictate what role nuclear can realistically play, it is bound by a global energy landscape-from solar to carbon sequestration-that is still predominantly shaped by the marketplace.
Veteran New York Times energy reporter Matthew Wald takes a pragmatic look at the trade-offs associated with investment in a number of alternative energy sources in "Getting Power to the People," a special in-depth feature appearing in the September/October 2007 issue of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Wald considers variables such as the cost of fuel inputs, capacity factor, and the price of carbon capture technology, and discusses how they affect energy prices for consumers. "There is a future on the grid for almost everything: coal, natural gas, nuclear power, gasified biomass, and probably wind and solar as well," Wald concludes. "What remains is to determine the proportions."
Additional materials include selected graphs that illustrate baseline energy concepts and a summation chart that offers energy source comparison at a glance.
Also in this issue of the Bulletin: Want the truth about the hidden world of hazardous waste disposal and the arms trade" It's all about knowing how something gets from point A to point B. Sergio Finardi, a logistics expert who independently tracks the international freight transport system, talks to the Bulletin about subterfuge and foul play rampant in the transport business, and about how he knew that the United States had decided to invade Iraq a year before it happened.
Elsewhere in the Bulletin:
* Jeanne Guillemin warns that if history is any guide, states will again call on scientists to develop biological weapons;
* Harold A. Feiveson scrutinizes the environmental consequences of the Bush administration's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership;
* Jennifer Ouellette explores how scientists can improve their notoriously poor ability to communicate risk;
* Researchers with the Global Transnational Terrorism Project map the social ties that bind terrorist networks.
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Additional materials include selected graphs that illustrate baseline energy concepts and a summation chart that offers energy source comparison at a glance.
Also in this issue of the Bulletin: Want the truth about the hidden world of hazardous waste disposal and the arms trade" It's all about knowing how something gets from point A to point B. Sergio Finardi, a logistics expert who independently tracks the international freight transport system, talks to the Bulletin about subterfuge and foul play rampant in the transport business, and about how he knew that the United States had decided to invade Iraq a year before it happened.
Elsewhere in the Bulletin:
* Jeanne Guillemin warns that if history is any guide, states will again call on scientists to develop biological weapons;
* Harold A. Feiveson scrutinizes the environmental consequences of the Bush administration's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership;
* Jennifer Ouellette explores how scientists can improve their notoriously poor ability to communicate risk;
* Researchers with the Global Transnational Terrorism Project map the social ties that bind terrorist networks.
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Nuclear Power Current Events and Nuclear Power News RSSRice U. lab leads hunt for new zeolites
In all the world, there are about 200 types of zeolite, a compound of silicon, aluminum and oxygen that gives civilization such things as laundry detergent, kitty litter and gasoline. But thanks to computations by Rice University professor Michael Deem and his colleagues, it appears there are -- or could be -- more types of zeolites than once thought.
Report examines hidden costs of energy production and use
A new report from the National Research Council examines and, when possible, estimates "hidden" costs of energy production and use -- such as the damage air pollution imposes on human health -- that are not reflected in market prices of coal, oil, other energy sources, or the electricity and gasoline produced from them.
MU Researchers Create Smaller and More Efficient Nuclear Battery
Batteries can power anything from small sensors to large systems. While scientists are finding ways to make them smaller but even more powerful, problems can arise when these batteries are much larger and heavier than the devices themselves. University of Missouri researchers are developing a nuclear energy source that is smaller, lighter and more efficient.
Public attitudes to new technology: Lessons for regulators
New technologies may change our lives for the better, but sometimes they have risks. Communicating those benefits and risks to the public, and developing regulations to deal with them, can be difficult - particularly if there's already public opposition to the technology.
A new approach to engineering for extreme environments
Composite materials such as fiberglass, which take on a mix of properties of their constituent compounds, have been around for decades. Now, an MIT materials scientist is taking composites to the nanoscale, where entirely new properties, not found in any of the original compounds, can emerge.
Climate change aims need to be better integrated
Specific measures to tackle climate change, such as emissions trading, will only be successful if they are coherently supported by other government policies addressing economic and social issues, says a report published today by the Partnership for European Environmental Research (PEER). PEER membership is formed from seven of the biggest European environmental research institutes.
Nuclear fusion-fission hybrid could contribute to carbon-free energy future
Physicists at The University of Texas at Austin have designed a new system that, when fully developed, would use fusion to eliminate most of the transuranic waste produced by nuclear power plants.
Wind, water and sun beat biofuels, nuclear and coal for clean energy, Stanford researcher says
The best ways to improve energy security, mitigate global warming and reduce the number of deaths caused by air pollution are blowing in the wind and rippling in the water, not growing on prairies or glowing inside nuclear power plants, says Mark Z. Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford.
Dissertation work on leading wave power
A technology that is adapted to the special conditions for wave energy places the wave energy technology from Uppsala on the absolute cutting edge in the world.
Case Western Reserve University researchers track Chernobyl fallout
When a reactor in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded in 1986 in what was then the Soviet republic of Ukraine, radioactive elements were released in the air and dispersed over the Soviet Union, Europe and even eastern portions of North America.
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Power to Save the World: The Truth About Nuclear Energy (Vintage) by Gwyneth Cravens (Author), Richard Rhodes (Introduction) An informed look at the myths and fears surrounding nuclear energy, and a practical, politically realistic solution to global warming and our energy needs. Faced by the world's oil shortages and curious about alternative energy sources, Gwyneth Cravens skeptically sets out to find the truth about nuclear energy. Her conclusion: it is a totally viable and practical solution to global warming. In the end, we see that if we are to care for subsequent generations, embracing nuclear energy is an ethical imperative. |
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Nuclear Energy in the 21st Century: World Nuclear University Press by Ian Hore-Lacy (Author) The onset of the 21st century has coincided with mounting scientific evidence of the severe environmental impact of global energy consumption. In response, governments and environmentalists on every continent have begun to re-evaluate the benefits of nuclear power as a clean, non-emitting energy resource. Today nuclear power plants operate in some 30 countries, and nuclear energy has become a safe and reliable source of one-sixth of the world's electricity. This base has the potential to be expanded widely as part of a worldwide clean-energy revolution. Nuclear Energy in the 21st Century is an authoritative resource for educators, students, policy-makers and interested lay-people. This balanced and accessible text provides: * An inroad into nuclear science for the... |
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Terrestrial Energy: How Nuclear Energy Will Lead the Green Revolution and End America's Energy Odyssey by William Tucker (Author) This is quite possibly the most important book about energy in a generation. For over thirty years Americans have been fed a steady diet of half-truths, misinformation, urban legends and outright fabrications about energy. The small amount of accurate information that does reach us is often obscured by scientific terminology or one-sided political posturing. When faced with a dramatic increase in energy demand, uncertain supplies and the potentially harmful effects of carbon emissions how are we to make informed choices? Veteran journalist William Tucker has relied on years of research and investigation to help us make sense of America s energy predicament without the burdens of political pressures or predetermined outcomes. It seems odd that nuclear energy has... |
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Atomic Awakening: A New Look at the History and Future of Nuclear Power by James Mahaffey (Author) Nuclear power is a paradox of danger and salvation—how is it that the renewable energy source our society so desperately needs is the one we are most afraid to use? The American public's introduction to nuclear technology was manifested in destruction and death. With Hiroshima and the Cold War still ringing in our ears, our perception of all things nuclear is seen through the lens of weapons development. Nuclear power is full of mind-bending theories, deep secrets, and the misdirection of public consciousness, some deliberate, some accidental. The result of this fixation on bombs and fallout is that the development of a non-polluting, renewable energy source stands frozen in time. It has been said that if gasoline were first used to make napalm bombs, we would all... |
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Nuclear Power Is Not the Answer by Helen Caldicott (Author) The world-renowned antinuclear activist's "expertly argued" (The Guardian) case against nuclear energy. In a world torn apart by wars over oil, politicians have increasingly begun to look for alternative energy sources—and their leading choice is nuclear energy. Among the myths that have been spread over the years about nuclear-powered electricity are that it does not cause global warming or pollution, that it is inexpensive, and that it is safe. Helen Caldicott's look at the actual costs and environmental consequences of nuclear energy belies the incessant barrage of nuclear industry propaganda. Caldicott "reveals truths," Martin Sheen has said, "that confirm we must take positive action now if we are to make a difference." In fact, nuclear power contributes to global... |
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Nuclear Energy Now: Why the Time Has Come for the World's Most Misunderstood Energy Source by Alan M. Herbst (Author), George W. Hopley (Author) A timely and thought-provoking solution to the world's energy shortfall The dramatic increases in oil and natural gas prices, the finite supply of fossil fuels, and concerns over emissions and global warming are forcing us to consider alternatives. In this measured and knowledgeable book, energy experts Alan Herbst and George Hopley argue that the time has come for the U.S. to revitalize its nuclear generation assets in order to successfully meet growing domestic electricity requirements and lessen our dependence on foreign sources of energy. Nuclear Energy Now provides an informed look at the benefits and drawbacks associated with this controversial alternative to traditional energy sources. It opens with a brief overview of commercial nuclear development in the U.S.... |
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Nuclear Power: Both Sides by Michio Kaku (Editor) |
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History of Nuclear Power - Power And The People (2-DVD Set) Directed By: A2ZCDS.com See How The Government Sold People On Atomic Energy In The 1950s And 1960s!These Classic Cold War Era Films Show You The Peaceful Uses The Government Had For Nuclear Power! Before people could become comfortable with the power of the atom the US Government figured they would have to sell them the idea that it could be used for peaceful purposes. |
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Nuclear Energy, Sixth Edition: An Introduction to the Concepts, Systems, and Applications of Nuclear Processes by Raymond L. Murray (Author) Nuclear Energy is one of the most popular texts ever published on basic nuclear physics, systems, and applications of nuclear energy. This newest edition continues the tradition of offering a holistic treatment of everything the undergraduate engineering student needs to know in a clear and accessible way. Presented is a comprehensive overview of radioactivity, radiation protection, nuclear reactors, waste disposal, and nuclear medicine. . New coverage on nuclear safety concerns following 9/11, including radiation and terrorism, nuclear plant security, and use of nuclear techniques to detect weapons materials . New facts on nuclear waste management, including the Yucca Mountain repository . New developments in the use of... |
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Introduction to Nuclear Power (Series in Chemical and Mechanical Engineering) by Geoffrey Hewitt (Author) The authors of this text aim to educate the reader on nuclear power and its future potential. It focuses on nuclear accidents such as Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, and their consequences, with the understanding that there are safety lessons to be learned if nuclear power generation is going to be expanded to meet our growing energy needs. |
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