Academics talk up domestic nuclear power
Academics talk up domestic nuclear power - Breaking News - National
Nuclear power is a cheaper and more environmentally friendly option in Australia than has been previously thought, researchers say.
A group of scientists from the University of Melbourne, led by Associate Professor of Physics Martin Sevior, has released a study of the energy problems confronting Australia in the future.
They compared the environmental impact, health risks, economic effects and social implications of the use of fossil fuels, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy, and nuclear power.
The study concluded that previous research by Jan Willem Storm van Leeuwen and Philip Smith - widely considered the industry standard in Australia - had overestimated the energy cost of mining uranium by as much as a factor of 10.
"This previous research overestimated the energy costs and carbon emissions generated by the construction of nuclear power plants and for mining uranium," Prof Sevior said.
"It is suggested in debates that the energy cost of extracting uranium from new mines would be so high that there is little point in developing a nuclear power industry - that is simply not true."
Professor Sevior said that with nuclear technology developing at a rapid pace and new power plant designs enabling more efficient use of uranium, there would be a significant reduction in the amount of nuclear waste.
"While we can do much to conserve energy, the fact is that Australia has increased its electrical energy consumption by over two per cent per year since 1970," the report says.
"Our electrical energy needs are forecast to increase by 50 per cent in total by the year 2020 - meeting this demand requires building the equivalent of 20 large power-plants over the next 15 years."
Prof Sevior said that if this was not done and energy demand grew as expected, Australia would face large scale blackouts such as those which occurred in NSW in 1981.
"Already the states of Victoria and South Australia are forecast to have a 500 megawatt electricity reserve deficit during the summer of 2005," he said.
"However Australia currently produces more greenhouse gases per capita than every other OECD country.
"If we build new coal-fired plants, which was what was done to solve the crisis in NSW in the 1980s, we will make this situation even worse.
"It is quite possible to utilise nuclear power, which emits almost no greenhouse gases, to provide the vast majority of an entire country's need for electricity."
The nuclear process emits 2-6 grams of carbon equivalent per kilowatt-hour, while coal, oil and natural gas emit 100-360 grams of carbon per kilowatt-hour.
Nuclear power now generates 16 per cent of the world's electricity from 439 stations in 31 countries.
The local industry accounts for 19 per cent of global uranium production - earning roughly $475 million a year.
Scientists believe about a third of the world's uranium is located at Olympic Dam in South Australia.
Australia is currently negotiating selling uranium to China, as long as it is guaranteed to be used for peaceful purposes only.
Federal Science Minister Brendan Nelson said in August he believed nuclear energy is likely to be used to power Australian homes within 50 years.
Nuclear power is a cheaper and more environmentally friendly option in Australia than has been previously thought, researchers say.
A group of scientists from the University of Melbourne, led by Associate Professor of Physics Martin Sevior, has released a study of the energy problems confronting Australia in the future.
They compared the environmental impact, health risks, economic effects and social implications of the use of fossil fuels, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy, and nuclear power.
The study concluded that previous research by Jan Willem Storm van Leeuwen and Philip Smith - widely considered the industry standard in Australia - had overestimated the energy cost of mining uranium by as much as a factor of 10.
"This previous research overestimated the energy costs and carbon emissions generated by the construction of nuclear power plants and for mining uranium," Prof Sevior said.
"It is suggested in debates that the energy cost of extracting uranium from new mines would be so high that there is little point in developing a nuclear power industry - that is simply not true."
Professor Sevior said that with nuclear technology developing at a rapid pace and new power plant designs enabling more efficient use of uranium, there would be a significant reduction in the amount of nuclear waste.
"While we can do much to conserve energy, the fact is that Australia has increased its electrical energy consumption by over two per cent per year since 1970," the report says.
"Our electrical energy needs are forecast to increase by 50 per cent in total by the year 2020 - meeting this demand requires building the equivalent of 20 large power-plants over the next 15 years."
Prof Sevior said that if this was not done and energy demand grew as expected, Australia would face large scale blackouts such as those which occurred in NSW in 1981.
"Already the states of Victoria and South Australia are forecast to have a 500 megawatt electricity reserve deficit during the summer of 2005," he said.
"However Australia currently produces more greenhouse gases per capita than every other OECD country.
"If we build new coal-fired plants, which was what was done to solve the crisis in NSW in the 1980s, we will make this situation even worse.
"It is quite possible to utilise nuclear power, which emits almost no greenhouse gases, to provide the vast majority of an entire country's need for electricity."
The nuclear process emits 2-6 grams of carbon equivalent per kilowatt-hour, while coal, oil and natural gas emit 100-360 grams of carbon per kilowatt-hour.
Nuclear power now generates 16 per cent of the world's electricity from 439 stations in 31 countries.
The local industry accounts for 19 per cent of global uranium production - earning roughly $475 million a year.
Scientists believe about a third of the world's uranium is located at Olympic Dam in South Australia.
Australia is currently negotiating selling uranium to China, as long as it is guaranteed to be used for peaceful purposes only.
Federal Science Minister Brendan Nelson said in August he believed nuclear energy is likely to be used to power Australian homes within 50 years.
posted by Marcel at 3:24 AM
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