Comments on: Nuclear Power: The Whole Story http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/ Shaping a happy, healthy, and prosperous future Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:20:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: How can we create power from nuclear fusion? | Vision Of Earth http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-8584 How can we create power from nuclear fusion? | Vision Of Earth Sat, 06 Nov 2010 17:31:18 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-8584 [...] energy. If you are interested in nuclear fission power, we have written a large article on how nuclear fission works as well as a series of posts on nuclear myth and [...] [...] energy. If you are interested in nuclear fission power, we have written a large article on how nuclear fission works as well as a series of posts on nuclear myth and [...]

]]> By: Coal power: Pollution, politics, and profits http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-8410 Coal power: Pollution, politics, and profits Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:59:51 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-8410 [...] In the past decades we have seen cost-effective power sources from natural gas, hydro, wind, nuclear, biomass and geothermal [...] [...] In the past decades we have seen cost-effective power sources from natural gas, hydro, wind, nuclear, biomass and geothermal [...]

]]> By: Is nuclear fission power renewable? http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-8384 Is nuclear fission power renewable? Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:52:28 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-8384 [...] materials like uranium-238 or thorium-232 as fuel. These reactor designs are referred to as ‘breeder‘ reactors, because they can transmute fertile materials into fissile materials. This means [...] [...] materials like uranium-238 or thorium-232 as fuel. These reactor designs are referred to as ‘breeder‘ reactors, because they can transmute fertile materials into fissile materials. This means [...]

]]> By: Solar power from photovoltaic panels http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-8363 Solar power from photovoltaic panels Tue, 12 Oct 2010 01:21:02 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-8363 [...] closer to being cost-competitive with classical forms of electricity production such as coal, nuclear and hydro. In terms of cost, wind power and solar thermal power are two renewable energy [...] [...] closer to being cost-competitive with classical forms of electricity production such as coal, nuclear and hydro. In terms of cost, wind power and solar thermal power are two renewable energy [...]

]]> By: Saskatchewan’s Energy Future http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-8183 Saskatchewan’s Energy Future Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:07:48 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-8183 [...] the possibility of brokering an energy trade deal with Manitoba. We closed with a brief overview of Nuclear Power issues and nuclear possibilities for [...] [...] the possibility of brokering an energy trade deal with Manitoba. We closed with a brief overview of Nuclear Power issues and nuclear possibilities for [...]

]]> By: Wind Power: The Whole Story http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-8162 Wind Power: The Whole Story Sun, 12 Sep 2010 03:02:35 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-8162 [...] with sources such as coal and nuclear, no substantial cleanup of the power production site is necessary with wind. There are no [...] [...] with sources such as coal and nuclear, no substantial cleanup of the power production site is necessary with wind. There are no [...]

]]> By: Does nuclear waste last millions of years? http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-8154 Does nuclear waste last millions of years? Fri, 10 Sep 2010 03:57:12 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-8154 [...] Prior to reading this article, it is recommended that you read our basic definitions for discussing nuclear science. In this article we refer to ‘used nuclear fuel’ and to ‘nuclear waste’. For our current discussion these are both the same thing. To get a deeper understanding of nuclear power in general, see our general nuclear article. [...] [...] Prior to reading this article, it is recommended that you read our basic definitions for discussing nuclear science. In this article we refer to ‘used nuclear fuel’ and to ‘nuclear waste’. For our current discussion these are both the same thing. To get a deeper understanding of nuclear power in general, see our general nuclear article. [...]

]]> By: Nuclear Myth and Fact Project http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-8119 Nuclear Myth and Fact Project Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:14:08 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-8119 [...] range of dubious to outright myth. In hindsight we realize this is an understandable outcome, with nuclear power being such an important, complex and emotionally charged [...] [...] range of dubious to outright myth. In hindsight we realize this is an understandable outcome, with nuclear power being such an important, complex and emotionally charged [...]

]]> By: Nuclear Plants Need Backup Generators http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-8118 Nuclear Plants Need Backup Generators Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:42:43 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-8118 [...] into service enough power to make up for the loss of its largest generator on short notice. For a nuclear generator, this would be between 300 and 2000 MW. In our home province of Saskatchewan, the largest single [...] [...] into service enough power to make up for the loss of its largest generator on short notice. For a nuclear generator, this would be between 300 and 2000 MW. In our home province of Saskatchewan, the largest single [...]

]]> By: What does ‘renewable’ mean after all? http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-8113 What does ‘renewable’ mean after all? Mon, 30 Aug 2010 06:36:53 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-8113 [...] not using techniques to unlock vastly more energy from the fuel. These techniques would involve ‘reprocessing’ the fuel and sending it back through the reactor. In order for the fuel to work again, [...] [...] not using techniques to unlock vastly more energy from the fuel. These techniques would involve ‘reprocessing’ the fuel and sending it back through the reactor. In order for the fuel to work again, [...]

]]> By: Gabe Potter http://www.visionofearth.org/industry/nuclear-power-the-whole-story/comment-page-1/#comment-427 Gabe Potter Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:23:14 +0000 http://www.visionofearth.org/?p=85#comment-427 Good article guys, very thorough. One thing I was thinking is that as (fission) nuclear becomes more widespread, uranium prices could drastically increase. According to this 2001 IAEA report http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1104_scr.pdf the market demand for uranium will seriously outstrip supply around 2030, especially in the medium and high-demand scenarios. So this is a pretty short timeline, considering it's almost 2010 now and new facilities take 10+ years to build and bring online. This could lead to more expensive uranium mining operations being required, somewhat similar to the case with oil today and the less efficient tarsands mining and offshore drilling that's going on. And the fact that mining uranium requires increasingly expensive fossil fuels (at least in the near future) is a further confounding factor. Reprocessing is a "possibility", but as far as I know nobody has a good plan on how to do it on the economic scale that would be required. Also, full-cost accounting of the waste disposal and risk-management problems would certainly add a LARGE chunk to the final price tag. Overall, unless some big changes and technological innovations are made (I doubt it), fission seems too expensive and not long-term viable enough to be a significant solution to the world's 21st century energy needs. Good article guys, very thorough. One thing I was thinking is that as (fission) nuclear becomes more widespread, uranium prices could drastically increase.

According to this 2001 IAEA report

http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1104_scr.pdf

the market demand for uranium will seriously outstrip supply around 2030, especially in the medium and high-demand scenarios. So this is a pretty short timeline, considering it’s almost 2010 now and new facilities take 10+ years to build and bring online.

This could lead to more expensive uranium mining operations being required, somewhat similar to the case with oil today and the less efficient tarsands mining and offshore drilling that’s going on. And the fact that mining uranium requires increasingly expensive fossil fuels (at least in the near future) is a further confounding factor.

Reprocessing is a “possibility”, but as far as I know nobody has a good plan on how to do it on the economic scale that would be required.

Also, full-cost accounting of the waste disposal and risk-management problems would certainly add a LARGE chunk to the final price tag.

Overall, unless some big changes and technological innovations are made (I doubt it), fission seems too expensive and not long-term viable enough to be a significant solution to the world’s 21st century energy needs.

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