Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
cal, and toy industries and by the shoddy construction of schools that
collapsed in Sichuan Province in 2008. At present, China derives only
2.7 percent of its electricity from nuclear power.
China is not relying only on nuclear energy as an alternative source.
The government is also increasing its use of other alternative energy
sources such as hydropower, wind, and solar. Industrial growth depends
on growth in energy supplies. However, the planned enormous growth
of nuclear power in the coming decade will still generate only 9.7 percent
of the country's power because of the rapid growth of electrical demand,
according to the Chinese government. It will reduce emissions of global
warming gases by only about 5 percent, compared to the emissions that
would be produced by burning coal to generate the power. China's
economy is growing so fast that even with all the nuclear plants it expects
to build in the next ten years, total emissions of greenhouse gases are
forecast to rise 72 to 88 percent by 2020.
The United Kingdom is contemplating resuming its long-dormant
nuclear construction programs, but many regulatory hurdles remain
before any new plants can be started. The proposed new plants will have
only a minimal effect on its emissions of carbon dioxide but are fueled
by a concern over a need for additional supplies of energy for economic
growth.
A number of European countries have banned or restricted nuclear
power over the past twenty years. Italy closed all its reactors, and
Germany and Belgium have long prohibited the building of new reactors,
although those that were open were allowed to operate for their natural
life span. However, concerns about energy security are now prompting
a reassessment of nuclear power in many countries. Switzerland failed
to renew its nuclear ban in a 2003 referendum, and Italy, Germany, and
Sweden are among those reconsidering earlier bans. Finland and politi-
cally uncertain Iran have nuclear plants under construction, and other
politically unstable nations such as Pakistan and Egypt hope to build
nuclear power plants. As of 2010, it appears that nuclear power plants
are going to become more widespread during the next few decades.
Will Nuclear Power Plants Slow Global Warming?
One of the most cited reasons for the use of nuclear power is its effect
on emissions of carbon dioxide gas, thought by most scientists to be the
major, if not the only, cause of global climate change (chapter 9). Unlike
fossil fuels, no carbon dioxide is generated during the operation of
