Whether nuclear power should be considered a form of renewable energy is an ongoing subject of debate. Statutory definitions of renewable energy usually exclude many present nuclear energy technologies, with the notable exception of the state of Utah. Dictionary-sourced definitions of renewable energy technologies often omit or explicitly exclude mention of nuclear energy sources, with an exception made for the natural nuclear decay heat generated within the Earth.
The most common fuel used in conventional nuclear fission power stations, uranium-235 is "non-renewable" according to the Energy Information Administration, the organization however is silent on the recycled MOX fuel. Similarly, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory does not mention nuclear power in its "energy basics" definition.
In 1987, the Brundtland Commission (WCED) classified fission reactors that produce more fissile nuclear fuel than they consume (breeder reactors, and if developed, fusion power) among conventional renewable energy sources, such as solar power and hydropower. The American Petroleum Institute does not consider conventional nuclear fission renewable, but considers breeder reactor nuclear fuel renewable and sustainable, and while conventional fission leads to waste streams that remain a concern for millennia, the waste from efficiently recycled spent fuel requires a more limited storage supervision period of about thousand years. The monitoring and storage of radioactive waste products is also required upon the use of other renewable energy sources, such as geothermal energy.
Renewable energy flows involve natural phenomena, which with the exception of tidal power, ultimately derive their energy from the sun (a natural fusion reactor) or from geothermal energy, which is heat derived in greatest part from that which is generated in the earth from the decay of radioactive isotopes, as the International Energy Agency explains:
Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly.
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Le débat sur l'énergie nucléaire est un des sujets du débat politique. Les politiques énergétiques sont différentes d'un pays à l'autre, la majorité des pays n'a jamais produit d'électricité issue de l'utilisation de l'énergie nucléaire, d'autres ont programmé une sortie du nucléaire civil, ou bien ont décidé un moratoire pour la construction de nouveaux réacteurs nucléaires, ou même acté une interdiction d'exploitation ou d'importation d'électricité d'origine nucléaire dans leur législation.
L’extraction de l'uranium est un processus minier allant de la prospection initiale au produit final, le « yellowcake ». C'est la première étape du cycle du combustible nucléaire, visant essentiellement à fournir le combustible des réacteurs nucléaires via les opérations successives suivantes : la prospection de nouveaux gisements ; la préparation d'un site pour l'exploitation d'un gisement (autorisations, conception et installation des équipements, construction éventuelle des ouvrages d'accès) ; l'extraction du minerai, seul ou en coextraction avec de l'or, du cuivre, du phosphate.
100% renewable energy means getting all energy from renewable resources. The endeavor to use 100% renewable energy for electricity, heating, cooling and transport is motivated by climate change, pollution and other environmental issues, as well as economic and energy security concerns. Shifting the total global primary energy supply to renewable sources requires a transition of the energy system, since most of today's energy is derived from non-renewable fossil fuels.
This course presents an overview of (i) the current energy system and uses (ii) the main principles of conventional and renewable energy technologies and (iii) the most important parameters that defin
This Summer School will try to bring to together these very disparate topics including energy policy, modeling and technologies in one coherent single event and give the participants a unique perspect
The course is an introduction to heterogeneous catalysis for environmental protection and energy production. It focusses on catalytic exhaust gas cleaning as well as catalytic systems relevant for gas
Couvre l'optimisation topologique d'un support de fusée de roue pour (C)Mobile, mettant l'accent sur les véhicules innovants et les matériaux renouvelables.
Explore la gestion durable, les possibilités d'amélioration, l'évaluation de l'impact sur l'environnement et les initiatives visant à promouvoir la durabilité.
Fournit une vue d'ensemble de la science et de la technologie du bois, couvrant la structure du bois, les mécanismes de croissance, les propriétés et les applications innovantes.
Underground storage of radioactive waste is consensually recognised as the safest storage solution by European and worldwide countries relying mainly or partially on nuclear energy production. Over twenty years of research led by the French national agency ...
Buildings play a pivotal role in the ongoing worldwide energy transition, accounting for 30% of the global energy consumption. With traditional engineering solutions reaching their limits to tackle such large-scale problems, data-driven methods and Machine ...
EPFL2024
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In order to alleviate the environmental impact that nitrogen fertilizers production is responsible for, several efforts have been addressed to incentivize the partial or total decarbonization of the supply chains of ammonia and its derivatives. The decarbo ...