Nuclear calculations which eventually lead to superheated steam driving turbines for electricity generation are complex. One fact is, however, known to all: The "fuel" that power such plants has a bad reputation: ionizing radiation. This invisible output from nuclear power plants is known and all safety precautions are taken to keep it where it shall not bring harm to living things - because if it does, the consequences are ugly.
To contain the harmful stuff, the nuclear plant is assembled inside a strong casting that would contain the contents in all foreseeable forces of nature and, possibly, man-made forces.
The Japan plants that suffered a damage recently were no different, only what hit them was unforeseeable. First there was an earthquake - Japan lies on one of the world fault lines and has been experiencing earthquakes, characteristic of such locations. When tectonic continental plates separated by the fault lines move against each other, the resulting "groan" is the earthquake we mortals experience. A strong quake usually measure about 6 in the Richter scale. The Japan one measured 9, no less! Never before had the region experienced such an awesome rocker. As if the locality was doomed, the quake triggered a tsunami that sent out a four-storey wall of water toward the shore and into the country, sweeping everything on its way. Cars and fishing boats appeared like matchboxes being tossed around a bathtub, when played back by the TV networks. Many lives were lost, many persons are misplaces and shall be in the near future.
Now, now. This calls for global co-operation to meet the issues that must be solved with co-operation of all humankind:
1. Fossil fuels are down to a trickle, they won't be there forever.
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2. Pollution caused by fossil fuels is causing big trouble, particularly climatic change. Even if reserves were to last forever, the world cannot continue with the pollution consequences they cause. Boeing 747 uses approximately 1 gallon of fuel (about 4 liters) every second (science.howstuffworks.com). The Schipol - Beijing flight, non-stop, takes 13 hours, therefore consumes 13*3600*4 = 187,200 litres. This is almost one thousand 210-litre drums! for this one plane on this one route.
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3. Nuclear energy is clean, nonpolluting energy source, but an accident causes hell. The action that calls for global co-operation is location of these plants. Looking at the map showing fault lines and continental plates, one notes that Japan is prone to suffer earthquakes, therefore not a good place to place high-risk structures. On the other hand, Africa north of equator is mostly Sahara desert which is thinly populated, and quite distant from the fault lines. This would be an ideal place to place global energy kitchen, whereby deep down the gigawatt nuclear plants could be built. The units would be built in such a fashion that should an accident happen to one of them, it could be shut down with the rest taking over.It is altogether unreasonable that France, lying so close to the European fault line, should be a nation depending more that 70 percent on nuclear energy, and even exporting some to other European neighbours.
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4. Renewable energy is another alternative the world is looking at: our dear sun pours down more energy than the world would need, only if we could catch and harness it. Much research is needed before much progress could be expected. Other renewables have been considered and are being researched. Wind farms are contributing a narrow slice in the global energy pie, hopefully use of renewable energy, including wave enegy and biofuels, as many firms and governments tend to encourage development in this direction by offering grants and tax incentives.
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