Reference no: EM131966114

Assignment

We are living in a world where we must move away from fossil fuels. Either by choice, or by force (we will run out), we need to come up with a national strategy that will power our future. This week you are going to research the pros and cons of moving towards nuclear energy. Although it has had some high profile problems, I think you'll quickly see why some environmentalists are big supporters of nuclear energy.

Questions to be answered (with references):

1. What percent of our power comes from nuclear energy in the U.S.?

2. How many new nuclear power plants would it take to switch the U.S. away from fossil fuels?

3. What is the cost of building a nuclear power plant in the U.S., and how does that cost change if we include the cost for decommissioning the plant at the end of its life?

4. What are three big positive aspects of using nuclear power in the U.S.?

5. What are three potential negatives of using nuclear power in the U.S.?

6. Are there ways of mitigating (make less serious) these problems?

7. How do your positives and negatives change when you think about expanding this technology on a global scale, including developing nations?

8. Think about what your opinion was regarding nuclear energy prior to this research. Describe how your opinion of nuclear energy has changed (or not changed) with what you've learned.

Do your research, write up your answers to these questions, and reference all your sources with full website addresses and citations. Use Word or Google Docs.