California’s Only Nuclear Power Plant Gets State Approval For 5-Year Extension

Reuters. (2023 December 15). California’s Only Nuclear Power Plant Gets State Approval For 5-Year Extension. Retrieved January 28th, 2024, from https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/californias-only-nuclear-plant-gets-state-approval-5-year-extension-2023-12-15/ 

The California Public Utilities Commission granted a 5-year extension for Electric’s Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant and Pacific Gas. This was done in order to reduce electricity shortages during extreme weather. So this means that the plant can continue working until 2029-2030. Some people are concerned about the plant being prone to earthquakes and the plant’s lack of disposal of radioactive waste. The Biden Administration also gave funding to prevent the closure of Diablo Canyon in climate change efforts.

 

I believe that relying on nuclear energy in an effort to fight climate change is definitely good, but it has its risks as I read in the article. I also believe that renewable energy sources and energy-efficient measures should be put first instead. This article relates to environmental science as it discusses power plants, climate change, and energy sources. 

Southern California’s Natural Gas Plants To Stay Open Through 2026.

Cal Matters. (2023, August 15). Southern California’s Natural Gas Plants To Stay Open Through 2026. Retrieved January 28th, 2024, from https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/08/southern-california-natural-gas-plants-remain-open/ 

In an effort to reduce blackouts and stabilize California’s power grid, the state has voted to extend operations on 3 natural gas plants. This decision goes against California’s goal of achieving 100% renewable and zero-carbon electricity by 2045. The decision, made by the State Water Resources Control Board, has received a lot of outrage and controversy from local communities and environmentalists. The people are mad about the plant’s impact on the emissions, pollution, and harm to marine life.

The article is related to environmental science as it shows the continuous debate and tension between the need for stable power and the negative impacts on the environment. I think that putting short-term grid stability over long-term sustainability just goes against our efforts to stop climate change and switch to clean energy. I read that they may push for a faster transition to renewable energy and the use of energy storage devices to reduce the demand for fossil fuel facilities. But i still think its just fully against everything we have been pushing for.

Nuclear power gets another look in ‘all-of-the-above’ energy approach as climate worries mount

Singer, S. (2023, June 20). Nuclear power gets another look in ‘all-of-the-above’ energy approach as climate worries mount. Utility Dive. https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nuclear-power-smr-climate-ira-omnibus-spending/639484/

Nuclear energy is increasing and also look by federal and state officials are to cut greenhouse gas emissions and bolster energy security. The International Atomic Energy Agency expects global nuclear capacity to be more than double 873 electrical GW net by 2050 and it would be more than 81 GW. The Inflation Reduction Act which communist about 369 billion for climate efforts, includes a zero-emission nuclear power production credit and it’s going to produce up to $15 an MWh of electricity produced.

 

What sparked me to get interested in this article is the number of greenhouse gases that are going to affect nuclear power plants. Also The Inflation Reduction Act is trying their best to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the amount of money they are putting in to pay for the zero-emission nuclear power production credit

Is nuclear energy critical in solving climate change?

Georges, G. (2023, February 9). Is nuclear energy critical in solving climate change? CAS. https://www.cas.org/resources/cas-insights/sustainability/nuclear-energy-critical-solving-climate-change

In the graph shows the zero emission blueprint that approximately 450 nuclear power plants operate today at full capacity at 90% of the time compared to the coal and solar plants which is 50% and 25%, and only 10% of the total electricity demand world wide supplied by nuclear power plants. With that nuclear energy carries a controversial image due to the risk of radioactivity and its impact on the environment. 

What I learned from the article is the amount of nuclear energy used and also the risk to the environment that it will lead to. Another thing is that power plants is a causing the environment to have climate change due to CO2 emissions going higher. I also learned that they are about 450 power plants that are used at full capacity than the coal and solar plants in this world.  

Nuclear power in the world today. (2023, May). World Nuclear Association.

Nuclear Energy

Costa, H. (2023, March 2). Nuclear energy. National Geographic. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/nuclear-energy/

Nuclear energy can be use to create electricity, but it must release an atom first once. During the process that is called nuclear fission, atoms are split to release the nuclear energy. Nuclear reactors and power plants are machines that can control the nuclear fission to produce electricity. The type of fule that the reactor uses is the elements is uranium 

 

What I learned about this article was what nuclear power is and how it works. Also the amount of power plants our country has. The article also talks about how nuclear energy is powered and what is in the energy. 

Georges, G. (2023, February 9). Is nuclear energy critical in solving climate change? CA

The Future of Nuclear Power in a Low-Carbon World

Blatt, J. (2023, June 20). The future of nuclear power in a low-carbon world. National Academies. https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2023/06/the-future-of-nuclear-power-in-a-low-carbon-world

Our country has been using nuclear energy for electricity for a while now. But at the same time, building a nuclear power plant in a country is costly. But with the new generation, \people are thinking of a smaller option of atomic energy that will be the same as a power plant that they do not need to spend much money on. 

 

This article gave me a spark that our country has been using nuclear energy for electricity, and with how expensive it is, they are trying to dfind an alternative. People who want to make nuclear power plants are finding ways for the construction to not be costly and for less work.

Biden rule tells power plants to cut climate pollution by 90 percent or shut down.

 

Politico. (May 11th, 2023). Biden rule tells power plants to cut climate pollution by 90 percent or shut down. Retrieved August 20th, 2023, from https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/11/biden-rule-tells-power-plants-cut-climate-pollution-00095827 

 

 Biden’s Campaign to green the economy is facing counterattacks from Republicans and coal-state senators. Biden is promoting electric cars, green energy sources, and tightening regulations on products. It is critical for Biden to get as many power companies on board with the rule. These companies would help shore up the rule politically. If Biden is re-elected then he and these rules will still have to face the judicial gauntlet, who already do not really like these issues and rules.

 

I don’t know that much about politics, and I’m not in the scoop. But it’s crazy to see fights over trying to make the world better again and trying to save it. I believe that the promotion of green energy forms is very good and smart. I see so many electric cars on the road nowadays. I would hope that the power companies would want to help the earth and get their name out there as companies. So they could get jobs and businesses running.

An EPA proposal to (almost) eliminate climate pollution from power plants.

NPR. (May 11th, 2023). An EPA proposal to (almost) eliminate climate pollution from power plants. Retrieved August 20th, 2023, from https://www.npr.org/2023/05/11/1169967646/an-epa-proposal-to-almost-eliminate-climate-pollution-from-power-plants 

 

For big coal and gas-powered plants, they would need to capture 90% of emissions or burn clean hydrogen. Plants scheduled to shut down soon will face less stringent limits. The EPA’s(Environmental Protection Agency) rules will withstand legal scrutiny, compared to Obama’s rules which did not. The EPA is going to set emission limits for individual plants, which will be stricter than Obamas. The industry is not happy with these rules made by the EPA. Behind transportation, power plants are the second biggest source of climate-warming emissions. Critics argue that the regulations will force plants to shut down and leave their grids vulnerable to blackouts.

 

It seems like there is so much to do and so many places spread out over the world to do these investments. With these new, stricter, rules in act maybe we will be able to get great progress towards a clean and happy environment. The article didn’t explain these emission limits for individual plants, so I wonder what they could be. The proposal made by the EPA does seem very good and very trusting. I can’t wait to see how it plays out.

Clean energy investment is starting to flow, but imbalances point to continued risks ahead.

IEA.(2023). Clean energy investment is starting to flow, but imbalances point to continued risks ahead. Retrieved August 20th, 2023, from https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-investment-2023/overview-and-key-findings 

 

Global energy investment is picking up, outpacing fossil fuel investments three to one. If this clean electrification continues to grow at the same rate since 2021 then electrification will exceed the required levels of the world’s climate pledges. However, investments in expanding grids are lagging behind. Producers need to watch the ways clean electrification demands for fuels in power generation, and also for heat and mobility. Scaling up investment instruments and mobilizing greater support from development finance will be critical to the continuation of clean energy transitions.

 

I loved reading this good news on our world’s journey to clean energy and no more climate change. It made me wonder how are ways that everyday citizens can help. And it made me think about how big this problem really is. I really only hear people talking about climate change being very bad and that there is no hope. After reading this article I now have hope that we will be able to fix this big problem.

Will green energy kill coal mining? Why these industry leaders say it won’t.

Deseret News. (2023, Aug 17). Will green energy kill coal mining? Why these industry leaders say it won’t. Retrieved August 20th, 2023, from https://www.deseret.com/utah/2023/8/17/23827237/will-green-energy-kill-coal-mining-workers-biden-administration 

 

As demand for coal for energy decreases, coal is falling out of the energy market. With coal plants having to close soon, workers are faced with dilemmas of what to do after. The Biden Administration views and speaks of coal, and fossil fuels in general, as a “climate change-causing hag in dire need of retirement”. The American Coal Council says that coal should be saved. They also say that the U.S. is on a trajectory to energy poverty. South Africa can face up to 10 hours a day with no power, partly due to the aging of their coal-fired power plants. 

 

I definitely agree with the Biden Administration here, and I believe that it is a fact that fossil fuels lead to climate change. When I read what the American Coal Council had responded, it made me look at the other side of the clean energy Act. But not the side about people needing money and jobs, the side about how it could hurt our economic growth. But I still believe that clean energy is a lot better than the fossil fuels being used today, leading to climate change.