Ellie_Ogilvie 18/6/09 08:47 Page 19
How do we satisfy our need for energy and sustain the environment?
increase to 10% by 2010. Personally, I feel that this is not enough and waste remains radioactive for hundreds of years; therefore, suitable
the government should channel more funding into renewable energy waste management must occur. Waste can be buried in the ground or
sources. Due to the island location of the UK, we have great potential recycled, and there are firm beliefs that disposing of the material in
for generating electricity from the strong tides and waves we receive, space could be a viable way to remove the harmful waste from the
as well as the powerful winds. Therefore, I would like to see us atmosphere, therefore I do not feel it poses too much of a problem.
harnessing this natural power more in the near future. The technology The risk of nuclear accidents is probably the main concern with
needed to harness the power of the wind, tides and waves is expensive producing more nuclear energy; with the highly radioactive nature of
and needs constant maintenance to upkeep, but once installed is nuclear reactors, explosions of power plants cause widespread
virtually emission-free and 100% clean, without using up any rapidly damage. In Ukraine in 1986, radiation spread across most of Ukraine,
running out resources. The British Wind Energy Association has Belarus and western Russia when the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor
predicted that by 2010, 5% of electricity requirements will be satisfied exploded in what is believed to be the worst nuclear accident in history.
by wind energy at 6GW; we should aim to increase this amount and Fifty-six people were killed as a direct result of the explosion, but
look to our neighbours in Germany, who in 2006 had obtained 600,000 citizens were exposed to high levels of radiation; the World
20.6GW of power from wind. In terms of increasing the number of Health Organization believes that this led to 4,000 extra cancer-related
wind farms and tidal barrages in the UK, proposals have been made, deaths and birth defects in babies born after this time. The threat of
but there is always great conflict of interest. For example, since the terrorism in many countries such as the UK could make nuclear plants
1980s plans have been apparent for the Severn Barrage, a series of targets for terrorist attacks, another fear surrounding the adoption of
tidal barrages on the River Severn, one of the longest and most forceful nuclear energy on a wider scale in Britain.
rivers in Britain. The barrages would be able to power turbines to
generate electricity, therefore producing electricity in a non-polluting While energy is needed primarily for electricity generation, we also use
manner from a predictable source that will never be exhausted; the one fuels for directly powering machines. Therefore, alternative fuels for
series of barrages alone is predicted to supply the country with 5% of industrial systems and transportation vehicles seem like a sensible way
the energy it needs. If we are going to be serious about producing to a sustainable future. Biofuels are fuels derived from recently dead
energy in a sustainable way, these types of project are the answer; biological material; they are renewable sources of energy because they
concerns about the damage to natural habitats and the visual impact do not take hundreds of years to produce usable fuel, unlike fossil
of such constructions are, in my opinion, trivial compared with the fuels. However, seeing as biological material is being burned, there is a
pollution and climate change that could occur if we do not fully small level of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide emission, but only a
embrace these schemes. fraction of the amount released by fossil fuels. In February 2008, British
airline Virgin Atlantic ran the first ever test flight using a biofuel derived
Nuclear energy is another alternative way of producing electricity in a from coconuts to run one of the engines. Although this had its
cleaner manner than the use of coal, oil and gas, although the concept problems due to the tendency of such fuels to freeze at high altitudes,
of nuclear power has raised many concerns in the past few years. there is hope that a suitable fuel could be designed, and the
Energy is obtained by the extraction of energy when radioactive atomic International Air Transport Association has cited that it wants 10% of
nuclei (commonly uranium nuclei) are split in a series of controlled aviation fuel to come from biofuels by 2017. Many vehicles now use
reactions; therefore, no carbon dioxide or other harmful pollutants are hybrid technology to be powered from a mix of diesel and biofuel, for
emitted in the course of the reaction. This makes the process ‘clean’ example the Toyota Prius and some of London’s buses. Experts have
while producing exceedingly large amounts of energy without also looked into using hydrogen as a primary car fuel, which would be
depending on exhaustible fossil fuels. France has set the example of incredibly sustainable due to the high energy potential that H
2
gas
moving towards using nuclear energy, and by 2004 425.8TWh out of possesses and the lack of pollutants; water is released when hydrogen
the country's total electricity production of 540.6TWh was from reacts with oxygen in the air. Evidently, we are a long way off obtaining
nuclear power (78.8%). Nevertheless, it goes without saying that the ultimate alternative fuel, but I hope that one day our trains, cars
nuclear power is at the centre of mass debate. This supposedly ‘green’ and planes will be able to power themselves entirely on cleaner,
form of energy production currently produces large amounts of waste; sustainable fuels.
therefore, critics doubt how sustainable nuclear power stations are.
The Environment Agency states that Sellafield, a decommissioned To conclude, there are numerous alternative methods of obtaining
nuclear power plant in Cumbria, still uses over 18184.4m
3
of water per energy without causing irreparable environmental damage while
day for various processes, despite no longer producing nuclear power. satisfying our need for energy. In addition to reducing the phenomenal
There are also health concerns about the disposal of radioactive waste; amount of energy we use, we should harness natural forces, use
per year the average nuclear reactor will produce 25–30 tonnes of greener fuels or even use nuclear fission to provide us with the energy
spent fuel, composed of unreacted uranium and actinides. This solid we need while sustaining the environment. ■
2009 SCHOOLS ENERGY AWARDS
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