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Unlike coal-fired or oil-fired power generation, nuclear power generation does not directly produce any sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, or mercury (pollution from fossil fuels is blamed for 24,000 early deaths each year in the U.S. alone [71]). However, as with all energy sources, there is some pollution associated with support activities such ...
Economists estimate that each nuclear plant built could save more than 800,000 life years.
The focus of the first half of the chapter is designed to provide basic information about atoms and radiation to aid in later chapters. [1] The first half covers the basics on atoms such as: an atom consists of Neutrons, Protons, and Electrons; the atomic number of an atom determines the amount of protons in one atom; and that protons are roughly 2000 times heavier than electrons (see atom).
Nuclear power, with a 10.6% share of world electricity production as of 2013, is the second largest low-carbon power source. [19] Nuclear power, in 2010, also provided two thirds of the twenty seven nation European Union's low-carbon energy, [20] with some EU nations sourcing a large fraction of their electricity from nuclear power; for example ...
Environmentalists once treated nuclear power as enemy No. 1, but the urgency of climate change has led many to reconsider their opposition.
Nuclear power's contribution to global energy production was about 4% in 2023. This is a little more than wind power, which provided 3.5% of global energy in 2023. [167] Nuclear power's share of global electricity production has fallen from 16.5% in 1997, in large part because the economics of nuclear power have become more difficult. [168]
In North Carolina, Duke provides about 34% of its power with natural gas, 22% with nuclear and 17% with coal. Renewable sources like wind, solar and biomass combine to make up about 10% of Duke ...
The sources of radioactive pollution can be classified into two groups: natural and man-made. Following an atmospheric nuclear weapon discharge or a nuclear reactor containment breach, the air, soil, people, plants, and animals in the vicinity will become contaminated by nuclear fuel and fission products.