1. NUCLEAR ENERGY Or How The World Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Alternative Energy Source Sophia Khan and Dom Bolton

2. Dec. 2, 1942: Chicago-Pile 1 Uranium Renewable Reactors and power plants WHAT IS NUCLEAR ENERGY?

3. BUT I THOUGHT…

4. FRIENDLY TERMS Fission: nuclear reaction which splits massive nuclei into smaller ones while releasing energy Kyoto Protocol: reduce greenhouse gases

5. HOW IT WORKS

6. HOW IT WORKS (cont.) Core: encased in metal, high temperature and pressure Fuel assemblies: differ, long rods, release large amount of neutrons  high energy Control Rods: cadmium, heavy neutron absorbers, level of absorption, power up or down Moderator: slows down neutrons, coolant

7. HOW IT WORKS (cont.) High pressure steam Goes to turbines Generates electricity Closed in by thick concrete

8. URANIUM Ore mined Then crushed And Uranium extracted 85% total radioactivity (from radon gas)

9. INSIDE A REACTOR 75 000 tons of uranium = 17% of world’s power requirements Levels of water cooling Light, Heavy, Pressurized, Boiled Generation III and III+ Increase efficiency Higher temperature Higher pressure

10. THE FUTURE Different generations Worldwide 440 reactors in 31 countries 367 gigawatts = 16% of world's electricity Next 15 years: 60 new plants = 17% electricity China Goal: 4% electricity from nuclear energy By 2020: 41 power plants

11. BENEFITS Powerful Durable Clean

12. THE ENERGY CRISIS Never-ending search U.S. Dept. of Energy predicts 75% in electricity use 2000-2020 Electricity: 1/3 of greenhouse gas emissions Problem for current nuclear reactors: coal-fired

13. DOWNFALLS Uranium Mining Lead-210 and Polonium-210 Limited: 3 256 000 tons left Nuclear Waste and Storage Continue to release radiation Canada: 200 million pounds Disasters (Chernobyl) Breeder reactors and plutonium Non-renewable 42 years of reserves left

14. TO GET THE BALL ROLLING… 103 plants = 20% electricity US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Initial cost high, but low later Burn more fuel Fuel flexibility Plutonium, thorium, LEU, MOX

15. NEW GENERATION IVs COMING SOON 2030