a nuclear future cody rimes ids 3303 4-9-09. introduction america is facing some tough decisions...

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A Nuclear Future A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes Cody Rimes IDS 3303 IDS 3303 4-9-09 4-9-09

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Page 1: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

A Nuclear FutureA Nuclear FutureCody RimesCody Rimes

IDS 3303IDS 33034-9-094-9-09

Page 2: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

IntroductionIntroduction

• America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs.

• We consume 25% of the world's energy, but account for only 5% of the population.

• This can be a little misleading, as we also account for 22% of the world's productivity.

• Our energy needs are expanding, while resources are limited.

Page 3: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

TimelineTimeline

• (1905) Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. E= mc^2, baby.

• (1932) The first atom is split.

• (1939) The first Uranium atoms are split.

• (1939-1945) The Manhattan Project. The US government contracted scientists to build the first atom bomb out in New Mexico.

• (1945) Boom. The first, and incidently, the last time large scale nuclear weapons are deployed on major cities. (Gosling, 1999)

• (1946) Nuclear technology is first used for something other than killing.

Page 4: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Cont.Cont.

• (1946) The Atomic Energy Commission is founded.

• (1951) A usable amount of electricity is produced from Nuclear Energy.

• (1954) Atomic Energy Act of 1954.

• (1957) International Atomic Energy Agency is founded.

• (1986) Chernobyl (and a few years earlier, Three Mile Island.)

Page 5: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Major Energy ResourcesMajor Energy Resources

• Petroleum

• Coal

• Natural Gas

• Nuclear

Page 6: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

How our Energy Needs are MetHow our Energy Needs are Met

Page 7: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

PetroleumPetroleum• Accounts for 38% of

our total power usage.

• US consumption is around 21 million barrels per day, while domestic production is only 6 million barrels per day.

Page 8: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Con’s of Petroleum (OIL)Con’s of Petroleum (OIL)

• A large contributor of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

• Reliance on foreign supplies. America imports the vast majority of its oil at great cost.

• Political concerns. Much of the oil we use is produced in politically unstable regions. Global disruptions in supply are a concern.

Page 9: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Where is all of the Oil?Where is all of the Oil?

Page 10: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

By CountryBy Country

Page 11: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

CoalCoal

• Most abundant type of fuel in America.

• About half of our electricity is generated using coal.

• Accounts for around 26% of our total power usage.

Page 12: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Con’s of CoalCon’s of Coal

• Extremely “dirty.” The burning of coal releases more carbon dioxide than anything else.

• Lbs of CO2 per M BPUs of energy. --->

Page 13: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Natural GasNatural Gas

• Accounts for around 22% of our total energy use.

Page 14: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Con’s of Natural GasCon’s of Natural Gas

• Even though it is 'better' on the environment, it is still a fossil fuel. Once burned, it releases carbon dioxide and other dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere.

• It takes up a lot of space, making it less practical for transportation uses.

Speeding from the scene of the crime, a Chinese boy tows a floating plastic bag of stolen natural gas.

Page 15: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

NuclearNuclear

• Accounts for around 8% of our total energy use.

• Has a lot of public outcry against its use within our borders.

Page 16: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Pro’s of NuclearPro’s of Nuclear

• It doesn't produce the greenhouse gases that are present in other forms of energy.

• There is plenty of 'fuel' available to power nuclear energy for many years.

• No dependence on unstable foreign supply.

• Safer than many people think.

Page 17: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

UraniumUranium

Page 18: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

How much fuel is out there?How much fuel is out there?• As a fuel source, it is the cheapest of all, producing more power

per dollar spent than any of the conventional fossil fuels (WNA, 2008).

• Some estimates say that at current technology levels and current consumption, we have between 100-300 years of fuel left to power our nuclear plants. (IAEA, 2006).

• Though in actuality, estimates for uranium supplies vary widely; if breeder reactors and fuel reprocessing are assumed, estimates tend to be tens of thousands of years or longer. The technology for such is available now, but because of the availability of Uranium, we don't reprocess our waste currently.

Page 19: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

More Fuel on the Way?More Fuel on the Way?• Current estimates put our worldwide reserves of Uranium at

around 5-6 million tons on land, though surveying methods have not been perfected because demand isn't that high.

• According to research by the Japanese government, the ocean has vast untapped amounts of Uranium.

Page 20: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Fast Breeder ReactorsFast Breeder Reactors

• Can harness much more energy from Uranium than traditional reactors.

• Can be built to use Thorium, which is 3.5 times more common than Uranium. May also use U-238, an isotope of Uranium that is far more common than the U-235 we currently use. 99.3% of all Uranium is U-238.

• Can use reprocessed fuel, multiplying the lifetime of fuel by more than 60 (UIC), and lowering the volume of waste by 90%.

Page 21: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Breeder ReactorBreeder Reactor

Page 22: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

How Dangerous is Nuclear Power?How Dangerous is Nuclear Power?

• Not as bad as many people think.

• When people talk about Chernobyl and the lives lost from Cancer following it, they often forget about the many thousands of people that have died in coal mining, for example.

• In general, fears have been overstated. There are examples out there of how safe nuclear energy can be.

Page 23: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Cancer Risks near PlantsCancer Risks near Plants

• A common safety concern that people have is that the area around nuclear power plants are dangerous because of radiation. The claim is that it is not safe to be close to the plants because of Cancer concerns.

• The National Cancer Institute performed a study to ascertain the dangers of living close to nuclear power plants. They found no correlation between living proximity to a nuclear plant and cancer risks. (Cancer.gov)

Page 24: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

Cancer Risks in WorkersCancer Risks in Workers

• If anybody is suffering from radiation, it would be the workers at these plants, right?

• An article written by OSHA and posted on the CDC website covers a study that was conducted on laboratory workers in nuclear energy plants. The study concluded that these workers were actually LESS likely to die of Cancer than the general population (cdc.gov)

Page 25: A Nuclear Future Cody Rimes IDS 3303 4-9-09. Introduction America is facing some tough decisions when it comes to our power needs. We consume 25% of the

The Future?The Future?

• Our population is booming, and our energy production must ramp up to meet the demand. Where will we look to solve our power crises? It is clear that we cannot continue to wreck our atmosphere with the burning of fossil fuels for much longer. Because of the implications of relying on unstable foreign regions and the fact that we must do more to avert global climate change, we can not expect to meet the demand with fossil fuels.

• There is so much promise in nuclear power that growth in the industry seems certain.