Alex Borakove
Model Congress-4.14.09
Nuclear Energy
As the current economic and energy crisis continue to worsen, the desperate
need for a diversified energy plan has increased drastically. Nuclear energy, which
accounts for a little less than 10 percent of the energy used in the United States, is the
least polluting source of energy when it comes to carbon emissions, and with the
proper research, handling, and control, it can be more effective and cheaper than
using fossil fuels that emit harmful gases and affects global warming. Nuclear energy
has the potential turn our country into one that is energy independent and stops the
dependency on foreign oil, as well as radically lowers the harmful effects of carbon
emissions.
Nuclear energy costs 6.5 cents a kilowatt hour, and when compared to coals 5
cents a kilowatt hour, nuclear energy may seem as though it is more expensive,
however after carbon emission taxes that are put onto coal, nuclear energy becomes
much cheaper to produce in the long term, even with the rigorous responsibility,
maintenance, and regulations that are needed to keep the energy production safe.
The amount of dependency energy from fossil fuels and foreign oil is linked to
the economic crisis. While the United States is still in search for cheaper and much
more highly efficient types of energy production, there is a desire to take the easy way
out. By converting the eighty five percent of all energy produced using fossil fuels to
at least 60 percent using nuclear energy, could start showing improvements in the
economy and energy prices as soon as the first few energy plants are built. Nuclear
energy is the energy source with the most concentrated potential energy. It is much
easier to use and requires less fuel to produce as much energy as fossil fuels need to
produce the same amount of energy. Nuclear energy does not require or rely on
geographic reserves, water elevation, or weather conditions to create fuel. Because it
can be produced almost anywhere under many different circumstances and
conditions, nuclear energy is a reliable energy resource alternative.
By starting to build nuclear energy plants and initiate the conversion from
fossil fuel to nuclear energy and with the help of other alternate energy sources such
as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power, the United States can successfully create a
more efficient and stable economy. Nuclear energy is cheaper to use than coal, does
not release carbon emissions, and is not too unsafe to use with the proper handling
and research that would be necessary to start any new energy plant.