The purpose of this exercise is to analyze the pros and cons of the two “base-load” sources of electricity; nuclear and coal.
Goals:
Analyzing the energy, economic, environmental and societal costs and benefits of nuclear and coal powered electricity generation.
Researching on-line and written documentation from government and utility sources.
Summarizing and synthesizing your opinion in a well-referenced written document.
Before you start: Pick a side (nuclear or coal) and collect reliable information to support your opinion.
Start your research by answering these questions:
What is the overall cost of each energy source (e.g. how much does it cost to mine, regulate, store and upkeep infrastructure)?
What is the energy content of each source?
How available are the raw materials in the US? What is the cost of import?
What are the environmental impacts of each source? You might want to break this into subcategories such as clean water, clean air, human health, wildlife, and worker safety (among others).
Are there geopolitical forces that do or should impact the U.S. policies on these sources?
0 comments