Discussion

Exercise 8.9

1. What are the pros and cons of using nuclear power to produce electricity? Include the entire nuclear fuel cycle in your evaluation.

2. Even if all nuclear plants were shut down tomorrow, we would still have to deal with the high-level radioactive wastes they have produced fro thousands of years. What do you believe should be done with high-level radioactive wastes? Explain.

3. What impact did the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident have on Russia and other countries? What lessons, if any, has it taught people? Do you think it has made any difference to the way people view nuclear power?

Unit 9 solutions: a sustainable energy strategy

What are the best energy alternatives? We have a variety of non-renewable and renewable energy resources, each with certain advantages and disadvantages. Many scientists and energy experts who have evaluated these energy alternatives have come to the following general conclusions:

1. There will be a shift from large, centralized macropower systems (such as coal-burning and nuclear power plants that produce 500.000 to 1 million kilowatts of power) to smaller, decentralized micropower systems (which generate 1  200.000 kilowatts of power). Examples of micropower systems are (1) natural gas turbine power plants (100.000  200.000 kilowatts), (2) small natural gas turbines for businesses and homes (25  300 kilowatts), (3) fuel cells (1  10.000 kilowatts) and (4) solar panels and solar roofs (1  1.000 kilowatts). Here are some of the advantages of decentralized micropower systems over traditional macropower systems:

• Small modular units

• Fast factory production

• Fast installation (hours to days)

• Can add or remove modules as needed

• High-energy efficiency (60-80%)

• Low or no CO₂ emissions

• Low air pollution emissions

• Reliable

• Easy to repair

• Much less vulnerable to power outrages

• Useful anywhere

• Especially useful in rural areas in developing countries with no power

• Can use locally available renewable energy resources

• Easily financed (costs included in mortgage and commercial loan)

2. The best alternatives are a combination of improved energy efficiency and using natural gas as a fuel to make the transition to increased use of a variety of small-scale, decentralized, locally available renewable energy resources.

3. Because there is not enough money to develop all energy alternatives, governments and private companies must choose carefully which alternatives to support.

4. Over the next 50 years the choice is not between using nonrenewable fossil fuels and various types of renewable energy. Because of their supplies and low prices, fossil fuels will continue to be used in large quantities. The key questions are (1) how we can reduce the harmful environmental impacts of widespread fossil fuel use (especially to reduce air pollution and slow projected global warming) and (2) what roles improving energy efficiency and depending more on some forms of renewable energy can play in achieving these goals.

What role does economics play in energy resource use? To most analysts the key to making a shift to a more sustainable energy resources and societies is not technology but economics and politics. Governments use three basic economic and political strategies to help stimulate or dampen the short-term and long-term use of a particular energy resource:

• Allowing all energy resources to compete at free market without any government interference. This is rarely politically possible because of well-entrenched government intervention into the marketplace in the form of subsidies, taxes and regulations.

• Trying to keep energy prices artificially low to encourage use of selected energy resources. This is done mostly by (1) providing research and development subsidies and tax breaks, (2) enacting regulations that help stimulate the development and use of energy resources receiving such support. For decades, this approach has been used to help stimulate the development and use of fossil fuels and nuclear power in most developed countries. This has creates an uneven economic playing field that encourages energy waste and rapid depletion of a nonrenewable energy resource and discourages the development of energy alternatives that are not getting at least the same level of subsidies and tax breaks.

• Keeping energy prices artificially high to discourage use of a resource. This can encourage improvements in energy efficiency and decrease use of an energy resource that has a limited future supply.

How can we develop a more sustainable energy future? Here we present a list of strategies analysts have suggested for making the transition to a more sustainable energy future over the next few decades:

1. Improve energy efficiency:

• Increase fuel-efficiency standards for vehicles, buildings and appliances.

• Mandate government purchases of efficient vehicles and other devices.

• Provide tax credits for buying efficient cars, houses and appliances.

• Offer tax credits for investments in efficiency.

• Encourage independent power producers.

• Increase efficiency research and development.

2. More renewable energy:

• Increase renewable energy to 40% by 2020.

• Provide subsidies and tax credits for renewable energy.

• Use full-cost accounting and least-cost analysis for comparing all energy alternatives.

• Encourage government purchase of renewable energy devices.

• Increase renewable energy research and development.

3. Reduce pollution and health risk:

• Cut coal use 50% by 2020.

• Phase out coal subsidies.

• Phase out nuclear power or put it on hold until 2020.

• Phase out nuclear power subsidies.

Energy experts estimate that implementing policies such as those enlisted above over the next 20-30 years could (1) save money, (2) create a net gain in jobs, (3) reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and (4) sharply reduce air and water pollution.