Nathan Wright
Business Homework
1). Nuclear power is an example of a non-renewable energy source. A non-renewable resource is a natural resource which cannot be reproduced. Once they have depleted there will be no more for future use. Nuclear power is used to generate heat and electricity. Also, Nuclear power plants provided around 5.7% of the world’s energy and 13% of the world’s electricity in 2012. Nuclear power is a long term environmental problem because it is a non-renewable element and it will be eliminated from our environment soon. However, the white vapour seen coming from nuclear cooling towers is actually steam and not smoke. These plants produce much less carbon dioxide than coal and natural gas electricity facilities. Therefore, nuclear plants have a small carbon footprint. Nuclear energy creates electricity by splitting Uranium nuclei with neutrons. This creates heat, which is used to vaporize water. The steam is used to generate electricity. This process requires water from the environment, which decreases the amount of water available to living things. A pressure group is a group that tries to influence public policy in the interest of a particular cause. Due to nuclear power not being renewable pressure groups will try to influence people not to use it because it is harmful to the environment, and is going to run out soon. Pressure groups want people to be environmentally friendly by using renewable resources which will last a long time.
2). EDF Energy generate three different types of generation each with their own impacts. One of these is nuclear energy. Nuclear power has at least four waste streams that may harm the environment. They create spent nuclear fuel at the reactor site. They produce tailings at uranium mines and mills. During operation they can release small amounts of radioactive isotopes. During accidents they can release large quantities of dangerous radioactive materials. Another type of generation is thermal. EDF operate gas and coal fired power plants undertaking base load and cycling duties. The environmental impact of the coal industry includes the consideration of issues such as land use, waste management, and water and air pollution caused by the coal mining, processing and the use of its products. In addition to atmospheric pollution, coal burning produces hundreds of millions of tons of solid waste products annually, including fly ash and bottom ash that contain mercury, uranium, and other heavy metals. Gas and coal are non-renewable energy sources which produces harmful emissions which are not good for the environment. Gas produces things like: CO2, Nitrogen monoxide, Nitrogen oxides and particulate matter which builds up in the environment and affects people’s respiratory system. Renewable energy has a low impact on the environment, and EDF obtain sources like wind, solar, tidal, wave or biomass. They have 20 off shore wind farms in north east England which provide low carbon