Nuclear Energy?

Energy is the ability to do work, where work is the movement of something when
an effort is applied. We need and we use energy in our lives every day. We use
energy to contract our muscles and move our cars. We use energy to warm our
homes and toast our bread. Scientists are busy researching new ways to make
energy available for our use. The sun seems an inexhaustible source of energy.
Energy from the sun lights the sky and warms the planet. The energy from the sun
is a type of nuclear energy or energy created from nuclear reactions.

During nuclear fusion, the contents of the

nucleus change.

What Are Nuclear Reactions?

That's easy enough, but what are nuclear reactions? Before we can define a nuclear
reaction, we need to explore the basic structure of an atom. Atoms are the smallest
building blocks of matter, and matter is anything that has mass and takes up
space. Different atoms make up different elements; for example, hydrogen, helium,
gold and silver are all elements. Each atom contains a nucleus, and the nucleus
contains protons and neutrons. Electrons surround the nucleus of an atom.
A nuclear reaction is a reaction that changes the nucleus of an atom. In other
words, the number of protons and/or neutrons is changed as a result of a nuclear
reaction.

What Do Nuclear Reactions Have to Do with Energy?

So what does this have to do with energy? The answer is simple and yet, amazingly
profound. Nuclear reactions release energy. That statement is so important, I'll
repeat it. Nuclear reactions release energy, and they release a lot of it! There are
two types of nuclear reactions. Fission occurs when large nuclei are split into
smaller fragments. Fusion occurs when small nuclei are put together to make a
bigger one. Here's the amazing thing. Either way - whether it's fusion or fission -
energy is released as a result of the nuclear reaction.

Let's look at an example of each type of nuclear reaction. Nuclear fission is used to
generate electricity in our nuclear power plants. Fission occurs when uranium nuclei
are bombarded with neutrons. The neutrons hit and split the uranium nuclei into
fragments. The fission releases a lot of energy and other neutrons as well. Those
other neutrons, in turn, cause a chain reaction and cause other uranium nuclei to
split, and additional energy is released. Nuclear power plants can generate a lot of
electricity from a very small amount of uranium and no pollution released into the
atmosphere. Nuclear fission, however, produces radioactive waste that is harmful to
life and has to be properly stored.
Fossil fuel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Oil and gas" redirects here. For other uses,

see Oil and gas (disambiguation). Coal, one of
the fossil fuels

Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural

processes such as anaerobic decomposition of
buried dead organisms, containing energy
originating in ancient photosynthesis.[1] The age of the organisms and
their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes
exceeds 650 million years.[2] Fossil fuels contain high percentages
of carbon and include petroleum, coal, and natural gas.[3] Other commonly
used derivatives include kerosene and propane. Fossil fuels range
from volatile materials with low carbon:hydrogen ratios like methane, to
liquids like petroleum, to nonvolatile materials composed of almost pure
carbon, like anthracite coal. Methane can be found in hydrocarbon fields
either alone, associated with oil, or in the form of methane clathrates.

Why did fossil fuels become so

popular?

Note: In the "Comprehensive Energy

Statistics," the statistical method for
numerical values was changed from fiscal
1990 onward.

Source: Based on Comprehensive Energy

Statistics, Agency for Natural Resources
and Energy, and Department of National
Accounts, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan

Reference: 2009 Annual Report on Energy

Ever since the Industrial Revolution took off in the 18th century, vast quantities of
fossil fuels have been used to power the economy and deliver unprecedented
affluence to huge numbers of people. As we all know, fossil fuels are organic matter
made from the remains of flora and fauna subjected to immense pressure and heat
deep within the Earth over millions of years. Petroleum, coal, and natural gas are
major fossil fuels.
During the Industrial Revolution, fossil fuels seemed to be the ideal energy source.
Steam locomotives, the quintessential machines of the Industrial Revolution, used
coal as a fuel source from early on to compensate for a lack of firewood and
charcoal. Not only was a seemingly inexhaustible supply of coal available from
easily exploited seams near the surface, but it could be used in its natural form.
Japanese governments in the Meiji era (1868-1912), realizing that the use of coal
was synonymous with industrialization, encouraged the development of coal mines.
 Since the modest beginnings of the oil
industry in the mid-19th century, petroleum
has risen to global prominence. Initially,
kerosene, used for lighting and heating, was
the principal product derived from
petroleum. However, the development of
drilling technology for oil wells in mid-19th
century America put the petroleum industry
on a new footing, leading to mass-
consumption of petroleum as a highly versatile fuel powering transportation in the
form of automobiles, ships, airplanes and so on, applied to generate electricity,
used for heating and to provide hot water supplies.
The usage of fossil fuels has been increasing in step with economic growth. Fossil
fuels were prerequisites for the birth of a new industrial civilization that transformed
our world.

Increasing consumption of primary energy

Fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas, natural energy, such as hydropower
and solar power, and nuclear power are collectively referred to as primary energy.
World consumption of primary energy greatly increased from 3.8 billion tonnes of oil
equivalent in 1965 to 11.1 billion tonnes of oil equivalent in 2007.
However, this increase was far from being uniform throughout the world. Whereas
members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
accounted for 69% of world energy consumption in 1965, the figure had decreased
to 50% by 2007. This decrease was attributable to the slowing of the growth of
energy consumption of developed countries because of low population growth,
changes in the structure of industry, and progress in energy-saving technology.
On the other hand, developing countries (non-OECD members) have come to
account for a greater proportion of global energy consumption. Energy consumption
in China and other Asian countries is expected to continue increasing rapidly owing
to high economic growth, rising populations and ongoing industrialization.
Consumption is also increasing rapidly in certain countries in the Middle East.

Note: Toe is an abbreviation of "tonne of oil equivalent." One toe is the amount of
energy released by burning one tonne of oil.

Source: Based on BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2008

Reference: 2009 Annual Report on Energy

Japan's dependence on fossil fuels

Japan is one of the biggest consumers of energy. Japan's energy consumption is the
fourth largest following the United States, China and Russia, accounting for
approximately 5% of world energy consumption. Types of primary energy consumed
vary greatly among countries. 84% of Japan's primary energy consumption is fossil
fuel (oil, coal, and natural gas). Of this, oil accounts for 44%; a figure second to that
of South Korea.
Japan has minimal energy resources. Japan's dependence on imports of energy from
overseas (excluding nuclear power) is 96%, the highest among developed countries.
Note: The total of these percentages does not equal 100 because figures are
rounded off.

Source: BP, Statistical Review of World Energy 2008

Reference: Basics of Energy

Greenhouse gases increase in proportion to fossil fuel consumption

The Earth maintains a constant ambient temperature by releasing the heat from its
surface (infrared ray) through the atmosphere into space. However, as a result of
industrialization, if heat-absorbing gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane
(CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs), continue to increase, it is
widely thought that the temperature in the atmosphere will rise, causing a
greenhouse effect. Global warming is a focus of great concern because of its
potentially huge adverse impact on humankind and the environment, including the
disruption of ecosystems and inundation of coastal areas because of rising sea
levels.

Notes: For energy conversion, industrial, transport and private sectors, the amount
of CO2 produced by burning of fossil fuels
1:CO2 in line with generation of electricity and heat are distributed to final demand
sectors (indirect emissions) according to each consumption.
2:The total amount of CO2 other than that produced by burning fossil fuels in the
energy conversion, industrial, transport and public sectors and the 5 gases

Source: GHG Inventory Office

Reference: 2009 Annual Report on Energy

Notes:

1. Energy conversion sector: Power generation, oil refinery, etc. The sector that
converts primary energy, such as petroleum and coal, into final energy

2. Private sector: The sector comprises the residential sector (households) and
the commercial sector (businesses that do not belong to the industrial or
transport sector, such as retailers and service providers.).

3. 5 gases: The greenhouse gases whose reduction is mandated by the Kyoto

Protocol, excluding CO2. They are methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O),
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and perfluorocarbons (PFCs).

Atmospheric CO2 concentration started to increase at the time of the Industrial

Revolution and has been increasing rapidly since 1900. This increase is in proportion
to the usage of fossil fuels. Therefore, reducing consumption of fossil fuels in order
to reduce CO2 emissions has become a crucial countermeasure for global warming.
The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 and various other international activities to reduce
emissions of greenhouse gases are underway.
In 2008, 10 years after the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, Japan's total greenhouse
gas emissions amounted to 1,286 million tonnes, of which over 90% was CO2
emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels. CO2 emissions in 2008 were 6.2%
lower than the figure for 2007, partly owing to the global financial crisis, but 1.9%
higher than the figure for the base year specified by the Kyoto Protocol (1990 for
CO2).