Science, asked by zunaira44, 4 months ago

why is it important to find new ways of generating electricity ?​

Answers

Answered by vedikaparab14
2

Answer:

We need to develop many new sources of clean, low carbon energy the is cheap and practical. Low carbon energy to fight global warming, Clean air to stop pollution and cheap and practical energy to replace fossil fuels.

We need many options for low carbon energy. We can not rely entirely on renewable energy for our future energy needs. Global energy demand is quickly increasing due to global growth in population, economics, wealth, industries, transport, and trade. It is possible that renewable energy will not meet the demand that is needed. Current projections of future energy use show that by 2050 most of our power will come from fossil fuels.

So we may need other energy sources to provide low carbon energy. And we need power that is cheap and practical so that it can compete with massive amounts of cheap fossil fuels.

China is now testing a new gas-cooled, Generation 4 fission reactor prototype that is highly resistant to meltdowns. This design uses pebbled fuel. The pebbles are fuel pellets that are very heat resistant with carbon, silicon and ceramics. They do not use metal fuel rods that are prone to melting when they overheat. These reactors can be safe when pumps fail or power is lost. The pebbles of nuclear fuel can easily be tested or replaced without shutting the reactor down.

China is also building an MSR, Molten Salt Reactor that can use a variety of fuels and use liquid salts for cooling. The salt can also carry the fuel. The fuel can be added at any time without need to shut it down. As the fuel is mixed with the salt it can be safely drained from the reactor core any time into a safe holding tank where fission reactions are slowed. This can be done automatically and without human intervention, if the reactor overheats. China may start operation of an MSR reactor prototype in 2020.

Other Gen 4 reactors are also being developed. There are as many as 8 types of Generation 4 reactors. This includes fusion energy that is still far from being ready. But other Gen 4 reactors could be developed with mainly current technologies.

The types of fuel in these reactors vary. They include nuclear fuel waste, mining waste and even unused weapons-grade material. The nuclear waste includes depleted Uranium which is available in very large amounts in storage. There are few other uses for depleted Uranium. Molten Salt Reactors, MSRs can use existing, highly radioactive fuel waste without need for separation of the material. Much cheaper than other methods of recycling nuclear fuel waste. MSR reactors could also use Thorium for fuel. Thorium is by-product of rare earth mining. Thorium is already available in large stockpiles of low-level nuclear waste. These reactors can cheaper to build and operate than current PWR reactors. And be much less complex.

Some Generation 4 reactors are able to produce much less waste than current reactors. And the waste they do produce can be safer and easier to store.

Developing nuclear reactors is difficult in the US. In the past, the US government supported many nuclear technologies. But now the US government has lost interest So China is now using US research, designs, technology and materials.

So potentially revolutionary nuclear technology is being developed in China where the fossil fuel industries have less influence on the government.

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