ENERGY!By Gabe Coakley

CLEAN

Unlike non-renewable energy, renewable energy can be used over and over again AND can be replaced in a matter of days, not millions of years. They offer some of the cleanest forms of energy usable in our lifetime. But not all non-renewable resources are as filthy as the main source, fossil fuels. Some are actually very clean, but hard to come by. Today I will discuss 2 of these clean energies: nuclear and wind energy, in a powerful team of good!

NUCLEAR ENERGY

Nuclear energy is both a natural and man-made phenomenon. It occurs naturally off our planet, usually on the sun or other stars. On earth, it is man-made by either the fission or fusion of atoms. The reactions created from these actions are what make our energy.

BOILING WATER REACTOR SCHEMATIC: 1. REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL (RPV) 2. NUCLEAR FUEL ELEMENT 3. CONTROL RODS 4. CIRCULATION PUMPS 5. ENGINE CONTROL RODS 6. STEAM 7. FEED WATER 8. HIGH PRESSURE TURBINE (HPT) 9. LOW PRESSURE TURBINE 10. GENERATOR 11. EXCITER 12. CONDENSER 13. COOLANT 14. PRE-HEATER 15. FEED WATER PUMP 16. COLD WATER PUMP 17. CONCRETE ENCLOSURE 18. MAINS CONNECTION NICOLAS LARDOT - WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The cool part about nuclear energy is that the nuclear part isn’t what makes the energy. The energy is actually made by the STEAM. You see, fuel rods of little ceramic pellets of uranium oxide are heated to extremely high pressure during a fission of atoms, and are then dipped in demineralized water, which acts as a coolant. This creates massive amounts of pressurized steam, which is used to turn the turbines and thus create our energy, to be used by millions for everything from microwaves to televisions!

BENEFITS DRAWBACKS

• It’s clean and eco-friendly! The byproduct is only steam!

• Has an unlimited supply!

• Produces more energy with less power than any other factory!

• Doesn’t use fuels to function!

• And nuclear waste, which doesn’t go away for millions of years (and may

cause certain cancers)

• But is can be extremely dangerous and unstable

• Can meltdown and spread harmful radiation all over the area

• Reactors only last 40-50 years.

BEING PUT TO GOOD USE

S e e i n g t h e c l e a n w a y n u c l e a r e n e r g y e ff e c t s t h e e n v i r o n m e n t , g o v e r n m e n t s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d

a r e c o n v e r ti n g t o n u c l e a r. P o w e r p l a n t s a r e p o p p i n g u p a l l

o v e r t h e p l a c e , i n c l u d i n g o u r o w n P a l o V e r d e N u c l e a r S t a ti o n !

WHY IT ISN’T OUR MAIN ENERGY…..WORST CASE SCENARIO

A lot of things, like mutants or zombie apocalypses or Godzilla or anything really bad. In reality, however, it can be quite bad. Nuclear radiation can decimate a community and kill many people, and the risks are just too high to make it our only energy.

WIND ENERGY

Wind energy is one of the oldest yet most efficient forms of energy in the world. Since ancient times people have used the wind to our advantage, with the earliest examples being the familiar windmill. Now it’s a bit more complex, but the basics are still there. Fun Fact: wind energy is actually a form of solar energy, because wind is caused by uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth's surface, and rotation of the earth all in one. YAY SCIENCE!

The turbines are actually quite simple. Wind blows on the massive blades, turning them and thus turning the components of the generator, which makes the energy we use. We use this energy, as we do most energies, to power cities and break our dependence on fossil fuels. It does not have any byproduct at all, but needs flat, unharmed land to work.

BENEFITS DRAWBACKS

ANGRY FAN

• You never run out! Wind is a unstoppable resource!

• It’s super clean: no byproducts!

• Once you get one, you wont have to pay for your energy anymore!

• You’ll have energy 24/7!

• Wind turbines are expensive as heck!

• Generators must be really high, making the job of fixing and maintaining

dangerous!

• Can only work in areas with LOTS OF WIND!

BEING PUT TO GOOD USE

Wind energy is much more popular than nuclear, since it’s not even a fraction as dangerous. Many places have started to experiment with this energy, but since high winds are absolutely necessary, it cannot be implemented in all areas. That’s the only reason we can’t use is as our national energy source! Still, they’re popping up everywhere.

WHY IT ISN’T OUR MAIN ENERGY…..WORST CASE SCENARIO

The turbines reveal themselves to really be hideous alien monsters here to destroy us all and steal our winds and pandas, but the likelihood of that is slim to none.

THE END