Thorium compared to Uranium creates less toxic waste and also unlike Plutonium (the by-product of uranium) the toxic waste created by Thorium will only takes 500 years to be declared safe. In addition, Australia has large reserves of Thorium. Australia should go nuclear because it has the resources, skills and the technology which will be able to create carbon dioxide free electricity which will reduce the global warming
Solar energy benefits outpace the concerns of drilling by a landslide. The time has come to put the drill aside and use are natural tools to energize our country. Coal, oil, and natural gas are the primary non-renewable energy sources being utilized in the United States today. These resources, also known as fossil fuels, are damaging the natural environment that we live in carrying great consequence. According to Klare (2010) “It may not seem as if we operate under such a philosophy today, but we do—one that extols growth over all other considerations, that privileges existing fuels over
Wind turbines are clean, effective and nonpolluting; however, one cannot predict the speed or direction exactly. The heavier populated areas require more energy. Not enough wind and the turbine will not turn. Wind turbines are noisy, threatens wild life, and is an eye sore along with costly for the initial funding. Solar energy is a non-pollutant, cost effective, maintenance free, life span of up to 40 years; however the upfront cost is enormous, and not everyone can afford the cost to put the stylish panels on their roof tops.
Nuclear waste must also be stored for a very long period adding to the cost. Nuclear has medium environmental impacts due to the energy required to mine transport and process nuclear fuels creating CO2 emissions, and nuclear waste can be hazardous and harmful to the environment if not properly stored, as it can be hazardous and prone to disasters it also has very low social acceptability. Coal is the most abundant, easily mined fossil fuel, it is also very cheap to set up coal fired power stations, this means it has very low economic costs. It produces large volumes of CO2 and other dirtier greenhouse gases and a pollutant meaning it has very high environmental impacts. It also has high social acceptability as it is cheap, not dangerous and not power plants are in industrial areas away from homes so it has limited NIMBY issues and noise, light and visual pollution.
Natural gas is an energy source that is clean, safe and extremely useful. Natural gas is colorless, odorless, and shapeless when it is in its pure form (Naturalgas.org). This gas however gives off a great deal of energy when it is burned. Natural gas can directly play a part in reducing greenhouse emissions, strengthening energy security and helping the growing economy (aga.org). The United States consumes roughly 600 billion cubic meters of natural gas every year while we only produce about 500 billion cubic meters.
Every year global warming looms larger and nuclear energy is one clear way to cut emissions. Universally coal is seen as one of the main reasons for the continual increase of global warming. Currently in Australia coal provides for more than 75% of the nation’s electricity and 50% of the Greenhouse gasses that are produced in Australia come from electricity generation. Nuclear power virtually produces no greenhouse gas emissions. Over the past 50 years the use of nuclear power has resulted in the avoidance of significant amounts of Greenhouse gas emissions
The use of chemicals in the hydrofracking process and the energy needed to operate the trucks and drills, critics say, offset the low carbon emissions from the burning of natural gas, making it no better than oil or coal. Furthermore, opponents contend, pollutants left behind at hydrofracking drilling sites could seep out from closed pipes and wells, posing a danger to public health for generations. Therefore, critics say, the federal government must step in to institute stricter regulations than the states have already
Currently, substitutes to pellet fuel include fossil fuels, wind power, and solar power. All three types are expensive. Fossil fuels are diminishing in availability, and wind/solar power is reliant on the weather which is uncertain. MacTara is one of the first to own a pellet mill in the world, which makes them an important supplier of pellets. There are no evident barriers to entry into the pellet industry because pellets are an undifferentiated product; however, the cost to build a pellet mill is very
Fracking is bad for the environment. People still need natural gas or oil to live their life. It will take time to get all of the bugs worked out of fracking. Fracking companies are using the new technology to insure the protection of the environment. Fracking is a cheaper way of obtaining gas.
Where American energy policy is far less sensible is when it comes to the price reflecting the true cost. Tiny petrol taxes take no account of the damaging effects of pollution. This newspaper has long argued for a carbon tax to make dirty energy more expensive and thus curb demand. If that happened, some of the new oil might not be worth extracting: Canada’s heavy oil, for instance, emits about 6% more carbon dioxide than normal oil, which in turn can be 30% dirtier than gas. The biggest bonanza from all this new energy would be if the users paid the real cost of consuming oil and