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              nuclear power efficiency and reliability

Nuclear fuel abundancy
As McKay maintains: 'Let's be realistic. Just like Britain, Europe can't live on its own renewables. So if the aim is to get off fossil fuels, Europe needs nuclear power, or solar power in other people's deserts'. 15 He and other nuclear power advocates know well how avid for energy European, US and other citizens around the globe are and that nuclear plants are the best technology available to meet the increased demand for electricity in sufficient quantity. Scientists and manufacturers have developed nuclear reactors that operate under strict US, European and Japanese safety rules and now constitute the safest energy sources with the lowest possible environmental impact.

Although there is still a lot to be achieved, universities, scientists and the media have already done a good job in shaping public opinion. There are now many people who know that the petroleum imported supply is becoming unreliable and increasingly expensive; that natural gas, the premium fossil fuel, has an unstable price and that the existing coal supply carries emission control regulations that will increase its cost in the future. Many have started to develop confidence and hope in wind, solar, and bio-fuels. They now need to learn that each is limited by raw material supply and technology limitations and that nuclear power can supply sustainable energy for centuries as nuclear fuel is abundant.

New light-water reactors are being constructed in some areas. Sustainable nuclear energy can follow by completing the chemistry of reprocessing the inventory of spent nuclear fuel and learning the technology of Generation IV high performance reactors.

Obviously, the non-coal-producing countries will gain first from such a transition. Truly however, the nuclear cost will need to be adapted to compete with coal. Scientists maintain that technology can be further developed to reduce costs and meet regulations certifying the nuclear plants safety in close collaboration with politicians and governments who must help in accelerating procedures and back up projects.

Public acceptance is key for the transition.

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9 D. Mac Kay, Sustainable Energy - without the hot air. UIT Cambridge, 2009, p. 233
ISBN 978-0-9544529-3-3, http://www.withouthotair.com

       





















    Building Environmental Performance



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