What are the usual sources of energy that comes to your mind? The first few would include solar energy, hydropower and wind energy. We often forget to mention the power generated from nuclear energy sources. It is also known as clean energy because it stands second among the energy sources producing low-carbon.
How is nuclear energy converted to useful energy sources?
In the following steps, nuclear energy gets converted to electricity:
At first nuclear fission take place in the nuclear reactors. It is the process in which splitting atoms produces heat.
The heat produced in the reactor is to form high-temperature steam.
The steam is directed towards the large turbines to spin it.
The spinning turbines generate electricity.
Somehow, nuclear energy is intertwined with nuclear weapons because they depend on nuclear fission for energy production. But it is a simple misconception as they have different effects when released.
How is nuclear energy helpful for the development of the country?
It is a clean source of energy. Countries are already facing the issue of air pollution due to the different factory and industrial setups. So why not keep the energy source carbon-free? Nuclear energy is claimed as green energy due to the zero-emission of toxic gases into the air. According to the Nuclear energy Institute (NEI), countries using nuclear power stations have successfully reduced carbon dioxide emissions to over 500 million metric tons in few years.
It produces more electric power for use. According to experts, the energy produced per area by other renewable resources such as wind or solar is lesser than that produced by nuclear power stations.
It is an efficient source of energy. Generation of electricity using nuclear power is ideal because it requires a small area for plant setup and uses a comparatively lesser amount of fuel to run the types of machinery. The waste generated by nuclear power stations is sometimes recycled using advanced nuclear reactors.
It is an effective cost-cutting measure. Since it eliminated the extensive need for natural gas and other fossil fuels for electricity generation, the cost of resources is limited. Similarly, the fund required for building and maintenance of power station is lower compared to other sources.
These are some of the reasons why developed countries are thinking about nuclear power sources. Today, 11% of the world electricity approximately runs on nuclear type power energy. However, the remaining countries are considering the idea to use nuclear energy as a source of power.
