Posted on Wednesday, 11th August 2010 by Emily Smith
Some environmentalists are warming up to the idea that nuclear energy can be a viable clean energy source. The nuclear energy industry, along with related exchange traded funds (ETFs), is receiving a nice boost from federal aid, but one group wants greater disclosure on the loan guarantees.
On top of diminishing global air emissions, nuclear power plants are running at lower production costs than compared to coal, natural gas or oil, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute. The NEI provides additional information on plants that are being renewed and being commissioned. []
is a reliable source of energy that also provides environmental and economic benefits, as stated by the Nuclear Energy Institute.
The nuclear fission process produces basically no greenhouse gas emissions or other pollutants associated with fossil fuels that could result in acid rain, reports Nina Shen for The Washington Post. Proponents like to quote that nuclear power generates 70% of the country’s “carbon-free” energy. []
However, critics argue that the cost of constructing a nuclear plant may be more than it is worth. Instead, some believe we should be finding more efficient ways to generate energy and invest in “micropower,” or a cogeneration of heat and electricity combined with renewables. Additionally, observers note that nuclear plants haven’t dealt with the major problem of storing spent fuel and that generating electricity requires a lot of water for cooling.
The environmentalist group Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is suing the Department of Energy over the Freedom of Information Act request about the federal loan guarantees, writes Ben German for The Hill. The group argues that taxpayers should receive greater disclosure on multi-billion dollar nuclear projects.
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Tags: Etfs, Nuclear Energy
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