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How Nuclear Energy Can Help Reduce Climate
Change
When electricity is generated using nuclear energy, there are almost no
greenhouse gas emissions. So using nuclear energy instead of fossil fuels
can considerably reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into
the atmosphere.
Already around 16% of the electricity produced globally is generated
using nuclear energy. Had all the electricity produced from nuclear energy
been produced from fossil fuel power stations, then around 2 billion
tonnes more carbon dioxide would have been produced. This represents
an increase of about 8% in global greenhouse gas emissions.
We believe that BNFL has an important role to play in addressing climate
change. Our strategy for doing so is to maximise electricity generation
from our Magnox power stations, while striving to minimise our own
electricity use.
In 2002/03 we supplied 17.4 TWh to the UK national grid. This amount of
electricity generated using gas (the fossil fuel with lowest carbon dioxide
emissions) would have resulted in carbon dioxide emissions of over 7.5
million tonnes.
As a supplier of services to nuclear utilities and governments, BNFL also
supports the operation of many more nuclear power stations around the
world. So we help to save the emission of hundreds of millions of tonnes
of carbon dioxide.
Climate Change & Sustainable Development
As the Earth’s population increases, so energy use rises. Energy is an
important, if sometimes taken for granted, part of the modern world.
Without it our standard of living would be much poorer.
People in developing countries will need more electricity in the effort to
improve their quality of life. But if we meet that ever-growing need for
energy by burning fossil fuels, the planet will suffer.
Currently, fossil fuels supply over 85% of our energy needs. And the
greenhouse gases emitted as a result are causing dangerous levels of
global warming. We need to supply more of our energy from such sources
as nuclear, wind power and solar power. These produce virtually no
greenhouse gas emissions.
Better Energy Sources, Wiser Energy Use
There are two key ways in which we can reduce the greenhouse gas
emissions from our energy use.
The first is to become more energy efficient, by not wasting it and by
developing smarter products. Walking or using public transport instead of
using our cars for every journey can help reduce emissions. Using
appliances such as energy efficient light bulbs can also help to lower our
energy demand. This has a double benefit, since it reduces the impact on
the environment and helps to cut our fuel bills.
The second route to reduced emissions is better energy sources. As
mentioned, nuclear power and renewables – such as solar cells and wind
turbines – produce electricity with almost no greenhouse gas emissions.
There are some low level greenhouse gas emissions, for example during
construction. But these emissions are tens or even hundreds of times
lower than the emissions from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and
gas. In short, to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions we need to
generate more of our electricity from nuclear and renewable sources.
More Electricity, Fewer Emissions
At present, around 16% of the world’s electricity is generated from
nuclear power. Large hydropower dams produce another 19% and other
renewables such as wind power produce 2%. Almost all the remainder
comes from burning coal, gas and oil in fossil fuel power stations.
Combating climate change will take more than just replacing some fossil
fuel generation with nuclear and renewables. We will also have to produce
much more electricity to meet the world’s growing needs.
Approximately two billion people - one third of the world's population have no access to electricity supplies. Another one third have unreliable
supplies. Only the remaining one third of the world’s population, can
depend on their electricity supplies.
By 2050, as developing countries aspire to the benefits those in developed
countries enjoy, electricity demand may increase by 75%. Many
developing countries will turn to fossil fuels to meet some of that growing
demand. This puts even more responsibility on the developed world to
move to non-fossil fuel alternatives.
New Uses for Electricity and Nuclear Technologies
Most of our transport systems contribute significantly to the greenhouse
gas problem. This is because they rely on burning fossil fuels, like petrol
and diesel.
In the future, many vehicles could be powered by fuel cells. Fuel cells
powered by hydrogen would emit water vapour instead of harmful carbon
dioxide. But where would we get the hydrogen to power the fuel cells?
Electricity can be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. But if we
use electricity generated from fossil fuels to produce the hydrogen… then
we simply shift the emissions from vehicle exhaust to power station. If
hydrogen were produced from nuclear or renewable energy we could
avoid almost all the greenhouse gas emissions.
Hydrogen could also be produced from new types of nuclear power
stations that operate at higher temperatures than present. We could use
the heat they produce to split water through a thermochemical process.
Choices for the Future
It is difficult to make the right decisions regarding climate change.
Although we are starting to see the effects of climate change now, the
major changes may be decades away. Climate change is a long-term
problem requiring long-term actions. But those actions need to start now.
We cannot afford to wait for the worst to happen. We need time to change
the way in which we power our homes and factories.
To stress once again, we believe that nuclear energy can play a vital role
in reducing our dependency on fossil fuels.
Source: http://www.bnfl.com/index.aspx?page=126