Two Most Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Non-renewable Energy Sources Research Paper 2022

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Two Most Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Non-renewable Energy Sources
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Introduction
Energy consumptions underpin every aspect of present society. The constant disruptions
of supply and increases in price have brought focus to a commodity that at some point, was
overlooked. The energy system in Australia is more diverse and intricate than before. The sector
of energy in the country contributes significantly to the nation's gross domestic product,
employment, and export earnings. A secure supply of cheap, reliable as well as environmentally
sustainable energy is indispensable to the future economic prosperity and growth of Australia.
The production and consumption of energy is a key component to poverty eradication,
economic development, improvement in the standards of living and health outcomes1. The
inadvertent impacts of energy production can lead to adverse health outcomes. Energy
production can be associated with deaths (mortality) and severe illness (morbidity) cases as
impacts of every phase of the energy production process. This might include accidents in
production and processing phases, mining of raw materials, as well as pollution effects.
Production of energy has both long-term and short-term health effects linked to air pollution and
accidents. In addition, it leads to the long-term impact of global warming. Global warming
contributes to rise in sea level, extreme weather, decrease in crop yields, reduced freshwater
resources, heatstroke which has an adverse effect on both plant and animal life2. The objective is
this paper is to look at two non-renewable sources of energy that based on the researcher analysis
are safe and cost effective. Nonrenewable energy is an energy source that will ultimately get
depleted. Examples include fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and natural gas, among many others.3
Comparison Point Nuclear Natural Gas
Cost Expensive to construct Expensive to exploit and drill
Energy Type Non Renewable (splitting or
fusing of atoms)
Non-renewable (fossil fuel)
Pollution pollute the environment less
and does not produce carbon
dioxide
Produce less carbon dioxide and is a
safer option than other fossil fuel
Efficiency 98% About 60%
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy is energy from the core of an atom. Nuclear energy is produced when the
atom is broken under a process known as nuclear fission4. Nuclear power plants normally use
nuclear fission with uranium atoms being the most used. During the process of nuclear fission, a
neutron collides with the atom of the uranium and splitting its, thus releasing a huge amount of
energy in the form radiation and heat5. In addition, when a Uranium atom splits, more neutrons
are produced. The produced neutrons carry on to collided with other atoms of the uranium. The
process repeatedly continues, a process described as a nuclear chain reaction.
1 George Antaki, and Gilada Ramiz, Nuclear power plant safety and mechanical integrity design and
operability of mechanical systems, equipment and supporting structures (3rd edn, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann,
2015) 2 Philip Tipping, Understanding and mitigating ageing in nuclear power plants: materials and operational
aspects of plant life management (PLiM) (3rd edn, Oxford: Woodhead Publishing, 2014).
3 Philip Tipping, Understanding and mitigating ageing in nuclear power plants
4 Paul Breeze, Electricity generation and the environment (5th edn, Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar:
Verlag nicht ermittelbar, 2017).
5 Paul Breeze, Electricity generation and the environment

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The nuclear power plant is designed such that this nuclear chain reaction is controlled to
produce a specific amount of energy. Besides, nuclear energy can be produced in nuclear fusion
a process in which atoms are fused or combined, forming a large atom7.
The nuclear fission reaction of Uranium atom in the nuclear reactors is as indicated :
U + n0
1
92
235 → La57
143 + Br35
88 +3 n0
1 + Alot of Energy
The heat energy produced form the process through a heat exchange system is used to
boil water to produce steam. The steam thus drive a turbine as well as electrical generators in the
power plant8. The Uranium is split into bromine and lanthanum nuclei releasing more neutrons.
U + n0
1
92
235 → La57
143 + Mo42
95 +2 n0
1 +7 e−1
0
Uranium split into lanthanum and molybdenum and two neutrons to continue the chain.
In the
As fission of a uranium nuclear takes a neutron while producing two or three neutrons,
fission of a single nuclear can trigger two or three further fissions and the process repeats. If the
process is left uncontrolled, the amount of energy being release can increase rapidly to a very
dangerous level9. This avoided in the nuclear plant by ensuring that uranium-235 concentration
in the fuel is not that much high to result in an explosion and the chain reaction carefully
controlled thus ensuring stable and steady energy production10. The chain reaction and ultimate
energy released is controlled by inserting neutron-absorbing control rods into the reactor to
absorb an excess neutron. Lowering control rods deeper into the reactor would result in fewer
neutrons available for the chain reaction. The control rods are raised to increase the power
output.11
6 Paul Breeze, Nuclear power.
7 Ibid.
8 Hitesh Bindra and Revankar Shripad, Storage and hybridization of nuclear energy: techno-economic
integration of renewable and nuclear energy (1st edn, London; San Diego, CA : Academic Press, an imprint of
Elsevier, 2017).
9 Bahman Zohuri and McDaniel Patrick, Combined cycle driven efficiency for next-generation nuclear
power plants: an innovative design approach (2nd edn, Cham : Springer, 2015).
10 Ibid
11 Bahman Zohuri and McDaniel Patrick, Combined cycle driven efficiency for next-generation nuclear
power plant

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Nuclear power is considered the safest non-renewable energy sources since it contributes
to the little greenhouse effect as well as global warming. It does not emit carbon dioxide; thus, it
is not associated with climate change. Nuclear power plants produce a high amount of electricity
from just a small amount of fuel. Based on current deaths and historical deaths linked to energy
production, nuclear is ranked as the source energy, which has caused the least harm. The cost of
erecting a nuclear power plant is quite costly, but in terms of efficiency, it is the most efficient
non-renewable energy available in the modern world. It has an average capacity of 91% thus
beating other forms of non-renewable sources of energy with bigger margin13.
Nuclear power is already one of the most efficient types of energy available today. An
average capacity factor of 91-percent beats other energy forms by a substantial margin14.
Natural gas
Natural gas emits about 50% less carbon dioxide when burnt in a new efficient power
natural gas plant as compared to emission from a new oil or coal plant. Besides, natural gas
emits just about 15% of less heat-trapping gasses than gasoline when combusted in the modern
vehicle15. Therefore, based on the studies, natural gas is considered as a "bridge fuel" that has the
potential to reduce carbon emission while the world transits gradually from fossil fuels to
renewable sources of energy. The efficiency of a natural gas power plant is about 61%. This is
due to its clean-burning, flexible nature, predictable. Hence, it is an attractive fuel due to its
increased production and lower prices. Combined heat and power installation allow the use of
over 80-percent of the energy content in the natural gas. The average combined cycle natural gas
plan is about 39% more efficient than 50% of existing coal generation capacity as well as 58%
more efficient than the oldest 10% of coal-fired plants16.
12 Bahman Zohuri and McDaniel Patrick, Combined cycle driven efficiency for next-generation nuclear
power plant (2nd edn, Cham : Springer, 2015).
13 Ritchie, Hannah, "It Goes Completely Against What Most Believe, But Out Of All Major Energy
Sources, Nuclear Is The Safest (2017)
14 Ibid
15 Ying Xie, and others, Energy efficiency evaluation of a natural gas pipeline based on an analytic
hierarchy process process (1st edn. SAGE Publications Ltd, 2017).
16 Ibid

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Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, which is not sealed cab contributes larger to
global warming than carbon dioxide. The exploration of natural gas by geologists on land often
disturb soil and vegetation. Drilling of the natural gas well on land requires clearing as well as
levelling an area around the site of the well. Such activities cause pollution to water resources,
wildlife, people and plants. Laying pipelines to transport natural gas might also have an adverse
environmental impact. However, natural gas is ranked as one of the safest of the fossil fuels17.
Chemically natural gas, which is methane, when burned produces carbon dioxide, water
and energy in the form of heat. But the amount of carbon dioxide is much less.
CH 4 ( g ) +2O2 ( g ) →CO2+2 H2 O ( l ) +Heat Energy
17 Hannah Ritchie, “It Goes Completely Against What Most Believe, But Out Of All Major Energy
Sources, Nuclear Is The Safest" (2017). https://ourworldindata.org/what-is-the-safest-form-of-energy

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References List
Antaki, G, and Ramiz G. Nuclear power plant safety and mechanical integrity design and
operability of mechanical systems, equipment and supporting structures ( 3rd edn,
Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2015).
Bindra, H, and Shripad R. Storage and hybridization of nuclear energy: techno-economic
integration of renewable and nuclear energy (1st edn, London; San Diego, CA :
Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier, 2017).
Bodell, T. "Natural Gas & Electricity Pricing: Understanding The Recent Volley In Natural Gas
Prices". Natural Gas & Electricity 30 (9): 25-28. doi:10.1002/gas.21756, 2014.
Breeze, P. Electricity generation and the environment ( 5th edn, [Erscheinungsort nicht
ermittelbar]: [Verlag nicht ermittelbar], 2018 ).
Ritchie, H. "It Goes Completely Against What Most Believe, But Out Of All Major Energy
Sources, Nuclear Is The Safest". Our World In Data (2017).
https://ourworldindata.org/what-is-the-safest-form-of-energy.
Tipping, PG. Understanding and mitigating ageing in nuclear power plants: materials and
operational aspects of plant life management (PLiM) (3rd edn, Oxford: Woodhead
Publishing, 2014).
Xie, Y, Xiufen M, Haifeng N, Zongming Y, and Ting X. Energy efficiency evaluation of a
natural gas pipeline based on an analytic hierarchy process (1st edn. SAGE
Publications Ltd, 2017).
Zohuri, B, and Patrick M. Combined cycle driven efficiency for next-generation nuclear power
plants: an innovative design approach (2nd edn, Cham: Springer, 2015).