Current Trends and Applications in Applied Science and Technology: Nuclear Reactor Power

Introduction

Recent polls that were conducted at Austin by Texas University, including another poll that was conducted by Gallup and the results that were obtained from three surveys that were conducted in 2016 on the spring nuclear. Obtained favorability numbers just like the ones that were obtained in the previous year. However, it was also found out that, the percentages that were favoring the nuclear energy in the three surveys deviated extensively. Politics has also an influence in the nuclear power production since energy has become an issue of interest. Therefore the government controls most of the activities that take place in nuclear production plants.

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Poll Results

The yearly conservational election that is conducted by Gallup has one question that looks at the nuclear energy. The question was asking the degree at which the people favored the use of nuclear as the source of energy. On the other hand, if they were opposing the use of nuclear as the source of energy at what degree were they opposing ("Public opinion on nuclear energy: what influences it - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists," 2018). According to results that were obtained from the poll it was found that 54% opposed the use of nuclear as a source of energy while 44% favored its use. This was a drop as per the results that were obtained from the previous year, and this was the first time according to the Gallup survey that, the mainstream of Americans opposed the use of drive obtained from nuclear. A survey that was conducted by the University of Texas at the Austin Poll energy was seeking to understand from the public to what extent were they supporting or opposing the nuclear energy. Unlike what was obtained by the Gallup survey, in the UT survey, it was realized that the support increased in 2016 more than it was in 2015. The poll showed that 39% supported the use of atomic drive, 26% opposed the use of atomic use and 35% according to the poll were neutral. Finally, NEI poll survey that was conducted in 2016, had questions on the use of the nuclear energy, the questions that were asked were the same as those that were enquired in the Gallup study, but here 67% were in support of the use of atomic drive as a way of providing electricity. Twenty-nine percent opposed the use of electricity. This was a slight increase from what was obtained in the previous year.

US Nuclear Power Policy

In any discussion that is held concerning nuclear power, the government policies are central. The idea of developing nuclear power is said to have started way back in the year 1945. This was a Manhattan project that wanted to develop the atomic bomb that was to be used during the wartime ("Global Climate Change Regime," n.d.) It is recorded that, the first nuclear reactor to produce energy, reacted at the NRTS in 1951. Production of electrical power from atomic control was unlocked to the personal companies in the year 1950s. Almost all the commercial reactors in the United States of America are owned by the private companies. The private companies have the highest share in the nuclear companies as compared to the government. Despite the fact of this the administration stands to be more tangled in the profitable atomic control than any other manufacturers in America, there are a lot of things that are required to construct and operate all other factors in the nuclear plants. It has also been recorded that the review procedure preceding the building of new reactors can take more than three years. In the year 2013, the NRC was looking at more than nine applications that were aimed at forming a combined construction as well as licensed construction companies. The aim of this was to build a total of 14 new reactors, together with a total of three design certification. The budget for doing this and many other things include waste safety as well as nuclear materials. (Janardhanan, Pant and Grover, 2017). In the 1990s the prices of electricity were deregulated, and this made a lot of private companies and some individuals to focus a lot on nuclear power concentration. A referendum that was done in the year 1976 led to the formation of the law that prohibited all atomic plants in the USA. However, this was ineffective since a higher percentage of the nation was using the power from the nuclear energy plants. In 2002 the program of nuclear power that was going to start in the year 2010 was announced by the DOE in the year 2002. The program to provide everything including the funding as well as the licensing of the companies that were going to take part in the production of power from the nuclear plants. Since the program of producing power from the electric power needed a lot of resources ranging from funds up to the expertise, the government also had to factor in the prospects of the nuclear plants.

Scope of the climatic challenge

Climate change is one of the most dangerous threat that faces the world today. The report that has been given by the American meteorological department indicates that there are high chances of global temperatures increasing in less than 100 years, the rise in the temperatures will take place in the land and on the poles. Although the shift in the temperatures will look as if they are insignificant, but the scientist and experts in the field have said that this can lead to severe disasters on earth. On the other hand, the International Energy Agency has issued a warning that the world is approaching a very critical point and there is a need for more efforts to put in ensuring that the greenhouse gas is reduced. (Schobert, 2014). The greenhouse gas that leads to global warming is produced by human beings who burn coal, oil and natural point with the aim of generating power. Experts have also recorded that agricultural activities can yield emissions that can change the climate. However, these emissions can be reduced if people can stop using fossils as a source of energy and find alternatives like wind, solar energy. On the other hand, they can also reduce the emissions by developing new technologies new technologies that will enable people to produce a smaller amount of carbon. In addition to this, if buildings are retrofitted and an energy-efficient technology developed it will help a great deal in reducing the greenhouse emissions. This measures, though they sound and look to be so efficient, they may not be effective if they are not funded and implemented so that they can be useful and aid in the reduction of greenhouse emissions.

Politics and Nuclear Power

In the realm of political energy has become an issue of interest. This is because the governments are involved in the manner at which all the resources are managed, it also controls the way the fossil fuel that is produced is consumed abroad. However, it is important to note that, the government plays an important role in ensuring that there is a positive progress towards the sources of energy that are renewable. The government is highly involved in the industry of nuclear energy even though. They are not involved so much in the production of atomic energy. Although they don't take part directly in the atomic energy production, they play an important role in ensuring that the companies that are licensed to take part in the business of producing the nuclear energy observe the safety and security in their plants and the vicinities of their plants as well. The government has also factor in the issue of terrorism as well as the impacts of expanding the nuclear power abroad.

Conclusion

On the same note experts of the climate change have indicated that if the global financial crisis goes on the climate will change indefinitely there a great caution should be taken. However, it is also very important to note that even if these efforts are made still, substantial efforts will be required to curb the inevitable climatic changes and the natural calamities like earthquakes, floods ("US Nuclear Power Policy | Nuclear Energy Policy USA - World Nuclear Association," n.d.) ,this experienced in some parts of the world. Research us shown that, circulation of the worldwide emissions will reinforce the need for broad cooperation to control the climate change. Over 75% of the total global emissions are produced by about 25 and above countries. However, no single country is said to produce more than 26% of the total emissions alone. Therefore, this means that the effort of reducing the emissions should be global. If the countries cannot come together and find a way together on what to do, some countries may fail to take responsibilities and end up just depending on other countries to do it for them. Therefore, since the impacts of climate change are global then, all the countries should also come together and combine efforts so that they can curb the emissions.

References

Public opinion on nuclear energy: what influences it - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. (2018, June 28). Retrieved from https://thebulletin.org/2016/04/public-opinion-on-nuclear-energy-what-influences-it/

The Global Climate Change Regime. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cfr.org/report/global-climate-change-regime

US Nuclear Power Policy | Nuclear Energy Policy USA - World Nuclear Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-t-z/usa-nuclear-power-policy.aspx

Janardhanan, N., Pant, G., & Grover, R. B. (2017). Resurgence of Nuclear Power: Challenges and Opportunities for Asia. Basingstoke, England: Springer.

Schobert, H. H. (2014). Energy and Society: An Introduction, Second Edition. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.