We have just published a new in-depth feature article “Nuclear Power in India” by Avilash Roul, who is based in New Delhi. We welcome readers of that story who wish to comment here. While editing this story we found interesting data from the World Nuclear Association. As is nearly always the case, we also got very good information from Wikipedia’s entry on nuclear power.
What was surprising to learn is the relatively small role nuclear power plays in the sum energy consumption in the world. As a share of electrical generation, nuclear power is significant, generating about 16% of the world’s electricity. But as a share of all energy from all sources worldwide, nuclear power is only good for about 2%.
Another surprising detail we learned is that in Germany, where there is a strong anti-nuclear movement, nearly 30% of their electrical energy comes from nuclear power. At over 20 gigawatts, Germany has the fourth largest nuclear power output in the world, behind the U.S., France, and Japan. In the U.S., only 20% of their electricity comes from nuclear power.
Any look at world energy generation today has to conclude we remain hooked on coal and oil. Can nuclear power, hydroelectric power, and other renewables eventually replace coal and oil? Will nuclear fusion ever be a reality? Should nuclear power, which is clean energy as long as everything operates normally, help us with our energy needs while we develop other even cleaner, more renewable sources of energy?
September 11th, 2006 at 6:53 am
After reading :India’s Nuclear Power
I thought your readers (and India’s energy industry) would be interested in looking at these energy technologies:
Aneutronic Fusion: Here I am not talking about the big science ITER project taking thirty years, but the several small alternative plasma fusion efforts.
There are three companies pursuing hydrogen-boron plasma toroid fusion, Paul Koloc, Prometheus II, Eric Lerner, Focus Fusion and Clint Seward of Electron Power Systems
Vincent Page (a technology officer at GE!!) gave a presentation at the 05 6th symposium on current trends in international fusion research , which high lights the need to fully fund three different approaches to P-B11 fusion
He quotes costs and time to development of P-B11 Fusion as tens of million $, and years verses the many decades and ten Billion plus $ projected for ITER and other “Big” science efforts
Erich J. Knight
July 7th, 2008 at 9:49 am
It’s very educational; explodes with facts and figures. It’s really fantastic and excellent. Well done.
Thanks.