By: Luca van Tonder
Fossil fuels have been used by humans for ages. Early man used wood and similar combustible materials to make fire; modern humans use coal and gas to produce electricity. That’s over a million years of burning material for out benefit, and over a trillion tonnes of greenhouse gases since the industrial revolution (2.3trillion tonnes to be exact). If we continue with this trajectory, all fossil fuels are predicted to run out by 2060 [1], leaving us with 37 years to find alternative energy resources. Something needs to change, and fast.
With over 3400 fossil fuel power stations in the United States alone, it is no surprise that air/water pollution is only increasing, and fossil fuels are running out. The annual global energy consumption is estimated at 580 million terajoules (that’s 580 million trillion joules) and is only increasing as the demand for energy exponentially increases with growing populations and industries, and despite our attempt at using solar and wind power to combat energy demands, little change has come of it. It is evident that nuclear power is the solution.
On average, one nuclear powerplant can produce 1 gigawatt of power (or 2400 mwh of electricity), with 436 reactors, that’s 1046400 mwh in electricity, which in comparison to the number of fossil fuel stations needed to produce an equal output, is far more efficient than using fossil fuels. Similarly, nuclear powerplants, unlike fossil fuel stations, do not produce air or carbon dioxide pollution while operating, which spares the environment an estimate of 471million metric tonnes of carbon emission in the US alone (It is only the processes of constructing the reactor and mining the needed fuel that make for somewhat significant carbon emissions – this can, however, be powered by a reactor, and is not a chronic problem).
If this, dear reader, has not convinced you, just consider the fact that the sheer process of producing energy in a nuclear reactor is roughly 8000 times more efficient than a fossil fuel station. The act of burning material for energy is far less efficient when compared to nuclear reactions. Fossil fuel reactors are too dependent on quantity of fuel vs energy output as opposed to quality of fuel vs. energy output. If a nuclear reactor is supplied with quality fuel, it can function for many, many years.
Fossil fuels were a great idea when a few hundred humans roamed the earth, but the status quo of our world has greatly changed, and so must our method of energy production.
Nuclear power is evidently our best bet at lasting more than 37 years, we just need people like you, dear reader, to create the necessary change to save out planet from, what is currently, a carbon filled demise.
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