Is there new energy coming from nuclear power?
A technology that was once hailed as a game-changing source of cheap, plentiful energy had lost its appeal because of worries about safety, cost, and what to do with radioactive waste. However, with internet behemoths Microsoft, Google, and Amazon all declaring investments in the industry and increasing pressure on wealthier countries to reduce their carbon emissions, there is currently a lot of chatter about a resurgence.
Millions of houses may be powered by nuclear reactors, which could capture and regulate the same powerful forces generated by atomic explosions. It appeared to be the way of the future, with one kilogram of uranium producing around 20,000 times as much energy as one kilogram of coal.
The United States government reiterated this week that it plans to treble nuclear power capacity by 2050 during the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or Cop29, which was held in Azerbaijan.
The White House first promised to take this action during the COP28 meeting last year. 31 nations, including the UK, France, and Japan, have now committed to attempting to treble their nuclear power usage by 2050.
During Cop29, which concludes on Friday, November 22, the United States and the United Kingdom also declared their intention to work together to accelerate the development of new nuclear power technology. In the final declaration or “stocktake” of last year’s Cop28, it was decided that nuclear power should be among the zero or low.
Microsoft inked a 20-year contract in September to purchase electricity from Constellation Energy, paving the way for the restoration of Pennsylvania’s notorious Three Mile Island power plant, the scene of the worst nuclear accident in US history in 1979 when a reactor partially melted down.
A different strategy has been adopted by other tech behemoths. Google is going to purchase energy generated by a few so-called Small Modular Reactors, or SMRs, a new technology that aims to make the deployment of nuclear energy more affordable and simpler. Amazon is assisting with the development and construction of SMR as well.
One excellent example is Hinkley Point C. On a swath of isolated coastline in southwest England, the country is constructing its first new nuclear power plant since the mid-1990s.
Today’s World with Nuclear Power
Approximately 220 research reactors in more than 50 countries use nuclear energy. These reactors are utilized not just for research but also for training and the generation of industrial and medicinal isotopes. The energy generated when some elements’ atoms break is used in nuclear technology. It was initially created in the 1940s, and during World War II, research was mostly concentrated on creating bombs.
The peaceful use of nuclear fission for power generation came into focus in the 1950s. See the History of Nuclear Energy page for additional details. There were distinct divisions between the East and West industries when the commercial nuclear industry started in the 1960s. The nuclear industry today is distinguished by international commerce.
Today, parts for a reactor being built in Asia may come from South Korea, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Russia, and other nations. Nuclear technology has many applications beyond only producing low-carbon energy.
It supports our most ambitious space exploration projects, aids physicians in diagnosing and treating patients, and helps stop the spread of disease. Because of these diverse applications, nuclear technology is crucial to global attempts to attain sustainable development. See the Nuclear Energy and Sustainable Development page for additional details.