Over the past decades, the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan triggered a wave and a race throughout the EU and Japan to stop nuclear power from occupying a considerable part of the energy mix. Much criticism of nuclear power has been due to environmental concerns.
Recently, states like Japan and Germany have announced measures to build new nuclear power plants or to maintain a moratorium on their old nuclear reactors respectively. In this article, we will set aside the controversy and controversy surrounding nuclear energy and try to shed some light on this energy source developed since the 1940s.
First of all, it is important to know what nuclear energy is. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, nuclear energy is a form of energy that is released from the nucleus or central part of atoms, which consists of protons and neutrons. This energy source can be produced in two ways: by fission (when the nuclei of atoms split into several parts) or by fusion (when they fuse together).
Nuclear fission is the method currently used worldwide to produce electricity from nuclear energy, while the technology to generate electricity from fusion is still in the research phase. To achieve electricity, nuclear power plants are a key player.
These facilities use uranium as a nuclear fuel, whose atoms are broken and split in a reactor. The resulting energy from this chain creates heat that is used to heat the reactor coolant. This coolant generally uses water, liquid metal or molten salt, which, when heated, generates the steam used to drive the turbines connected to the generators responsible for creating electricity. This energy source provides security of supply, as it is a constant and plannable source of energy, and does not emit polluting gases (CO2).
According to the UN, nuclear energy should be a source for the decarbonization of the planet, and this energy source is currently responsible for 10% of all electricity produced in the world. There are currently 31 countries with active nuclear power plants, mainly in the USA, France and Japan. France and the United Kingdom are considered pioneers in the research and development of energy stored in radioactive atoms.
A key mineral for this energy is uranium. This metal is found in rocks all over the world. Its primary isotopes are uranium-238 and uranium-235. In recent years, this metal, together with rare earths, has been gaining more weight on the geopolitical chessboard. Most of the uranium in the world is uranium-238. The world's largest proven uranium reserves are concentrated in Kazakhstan, Australia, Namibia, Canada, Niger, Russia, China, Ukraine and India.
This energy source has been in the crosshairs because of its disadvantage and fear regarding the danger of its waste, since it is extremely polluting and needs a long period of time to degrade. In addition, another argument put forward is the possibility of a potential accident.
Regarding these two arguments, it is important to note that, first of all, uranium rods, for example, are ceramic and contain the material well so that it does not dissolve in water or evaporate, and is stored in deep sites in different countries, such as Sweden, until it decays. Following the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents, a road map has been drawn up to avoid repeating the mistakes made in these disasters.
The war in Ukraine and high energy prices have brought this energy source back onto the political chessboard and into analytical circles, especially in the EU and Japan. The properties of this energy source and its contributions will make this energy source play an increasingly prominent role and will make the different players move their pieces with caution.
Suggested readings:
Merino, por Á. (2021) ¿Cómo se produce la electricidad en la Unión Europea?, El Orden Mundial - EOM. Disponible en: https://elordenmundial.com/mapas-y-graficos/produccion-electricidad-union-europea/
Revenga, L. (2023) ¿Qué son las "Tierras Raras"?, ¿Qué son las "tierras raras"? El Rincón de Laura Revenga. Disponible en: https://www.elrincondelaurarevenga.net/post/qu%C3%A9-son-las-tierras-raras
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