Contesting The Future Of Nuclear Power: A Critical Global Assessment Of Atomic Energy - Softcover

Sovacool, Benjamin K

Softcover

ISBN 10: 9813224819 ISBN 13: 9789813224810

Publisher: Wspc, 2011

Synopsis

This book provides a concise but rigorous appraisal about the future of nuclear power and the presumed nuclear renaissance. It does so by assessing the technical, economic, environmental, political, and social risks related to all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium mills and mines to nuclear reactors and spent fuel storage facilities. In each case, the book argues that the costs of nuclear power significantly outweigh its benefits. It concludes by calling for investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency as a better path towards an affordable, secure, and socially acceptable future.The prospect of a global nuclear renaissance could change the way that energy is produced and used the world over. Sovacool takes a hard look at who would benefit -- mostly energy companies and manufacturers -- and who would suffer -- mostly taxpayers, those living near nuclear facilities, and electricity customers. This book is a must-read for anyone even remotely concerned about a sustainable energy future, and also for those with a specific interest in modern nuclear power plants.

About this title

About the Author

Dr Benjamin K Sovacool is currently an Assistant Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. His research interests include the barriers to alternative sources of energy supply such as renewable electricity generators and distributed generation, the politics of large-scale energy infrastructure, designing public policy to improve energy security, and building adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change in least developed Asian countries.

Review

"Contesting the Future of Nuclear Power provides a badly needed, concise, and comprehensive overview of the reasons why nuclear energy is a deeply flawed policy option. The list of reasons is a long one: accidents, cost overruns, low return on investment, decommissioning costs, terrorism risks, uranium shortages, groundwater contamination, disposal risks, mining hazards, shipping security, centralized bureaucracy, etc. Moreover, for those who wish to portray nuclear energy as a 'green' energy option, Sovacool explodes the green myth by showing that carbon emissions over the life cycle of a nuclear-powered electricity plant are strikingly high, and the trend is for the carbon footprint of nuclear energy to become equivalent to that of electricity from fossil fuels." -- --David J Hess, Professor Science and Technology Studies Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

"The much-vaunted US nuclear renaissance isn't happening. Contesting the Future of Nuclear Power is a must-read book that explains why that's no surprise." -- Joseph Romm, Editor of ClimateProgress.org and former US Assistant Secretary of Energy

"The much-vaunted US nuclear renaissance isn't happening. Contesting the Future of Nuclear Power is a must-read book that explains why that's no surprise." -- --Joseph Romm, Editor of ClimateProgress.org and former US Assistant Secretary of Energy

Edition details

• Publisher: Wspc
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9813224819
• ISBN 13: 9789813224810
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 306