Nuclear Power Vs. Fossil Fuel
Though fossil fuels are deeply entrenched in the world's economy, problems such as global warming have many people taking a second look at nuclear power. Events in the late 1970s turned public opinion against nuclear plants in the U.S., and their use declined. Some countries such as France continued with nuclear energy and enjoyed success with it. Though alternative energy is making progress, nuclear power and fossil fuels will be important for decades to come.
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Capability
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Fossil and nuclear plants are capable of producing significant amounts of power. Plants in the gigawatt (billions of watts) range are common. Modern cities need large amounts of reliable electricity, more than what many alternative sources can currently deliver.
Costs
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The cost for building and operating a power plant is lower for fossil fuels. This remains true even though environmental concerns have added to their costs. For the short term, these fuels are the easiest to produce. Nuclear fuel, though much less of it is needed, requires significant, costly refinement to bring the ores to useful purity. At the end of its productive life, a nuclear plant must be decommissioned, a costly process.
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Wastes
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We burn fossil fuels to get energy from them. This is called combustion. Technically, the products of combustion are carbon dioxide and water. But with most fuels combustion is incomplete. Ashes escape into the air or accumulate in the furnace, requiring disposal. In 2009, carbon dioxide is seen as a major factor in global warming. Spent fuel nuclear fuel rods, no longer able to make power, are still highly radioactive. They must be carefully stored for at least hundreds of years. Interstate shipments of radioactive wastes are controversial; no one wants the potential for nuclear accidents in their home state.
Flexibility
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Nuclear power has seen two major applications: large, stationary electric power plants and propulsion for naval vessels. The heavy shielding around a reactor limits other uses. Nuclear aircraft engines and other applications have been explored, but the heaviness of the reactor and the chance of contamination from accidents keep these from serious consideration. Fossil fuels are used in things as small as lighters and big as power plants. In liquid form, they can be conveniently stored and distributed. Hazards such as toxicity and flammability exist but don't pose long-term problems the same as nuclear fuels do.
Reserves
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Reserves entail many complex factors. Geologists can determine the extent of proven reserves, though these can be over- or understated for political reasons. New finds are reported frequently. Consumption, which determines how long reserves will last, is variable, driven by economic conditions. At current rates of use, the world has enough coal for 200 years, oil for 40 years and natural gas for 60 years. Uranium reserves are good for 50 years, though technologies such as breeder reactors can, in theory, stretch that to more than 1,000.
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