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Energy in the Modern World. By: Jace Dendor. Background. Energy is required for almost everything we do today. Many different ways to acquire electrical energy. Most energy is derived from coal power plants. (EPA). Infrastructure.
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Energy in the Modern World By: Jace Dendor
Background • Energy is required for almost everything we do today. • Many different ways to acquire electrical energy. • Most energy is derived from coal power plants. (EPA)
Infrastructure • Everything is already in place and has been tested for coal and natural gas power • New technology such as nuclear requires massive start-up costs and a long time before they make back money • Other problems such as testing safety and meeting regulations
Job creation and loss • Closing down operational plants means workers will lose jobs • New plants and technology needs researchers, builders and new plant jobs
Pollution • Burning coal and natural gas produces carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas • This greenhouse gas production has been shown to cause Global Warming • The burning of coal also produces Sulfur Dioxide and Nitric Oxide, which in the atmosphere mix with water to create acid rain
Pollution Cont. • ‘Clean’ energies such as solar, wind, and nuclear all have pollution too • Manufacturing, setting up and disposing all create waste • Nuclear power creates waste that remains dangerous and radioactive for thousands of years
So what do we do? • Long-term benefits of renewable and clean energy outweighs that of non-renewables • However, there is a large startup cost associated with switching over
Mediation • Best option would be to switch from non-renewables to renewables slowly. This can be achieved by incentives or subsidies by the government • Would reap the benefits of each, lower overall cost, and allow new technologies to develop to become safer and more efficient
Works Cited: • Gunston, Bill. Coal. New York: Franklin Watts, 1981. Book. • Halacy, Dan. Nuclear Energy. United States: Franklin Watts, 1978. Book. • Kraft, Betsy. Coal. United States, Franklin Watts, 1976. Book. • Kidd. Steve. New reactors – more or less? Nuclear Engineering International. 21 January, 2011. Web. March 27th, 2012. • < http://www.neimagazine.com/story.asp?sectioncode=147&storyCode=2058653> • Morris, Neil. Wind Power. London, Westinghouse Publishers, 2006. Book.