Nuclear Energy in the UK: Green or Not?
Power plants that use fossil fuels are devastating to the environment – this is widely accepted by many scientists and politicians. The British government is investing heavily into converting the electricity network into something that lasts for many decades. The question is, however, whether they are heading in the right direction.
In recent years, several nuclear power plants have been built or are planned to be constructed in the UK. Sure they are a step forward from oil and coal power plants, but they do come with a price. Actually, almost every second person is concerned about them.
The key problem with nuclear reactors is that they produce a great amount of waste. Not only are there almost two dozen decommissioned plants left in Great Britain as they are, but working reactors generate a significant amount of radioactive waste every 18 months. The storage of such waste is an incredibly large expense to the country.
Contrary to this, solar panels do not produce such waste, as they are recyclable and harmless to living beings. While most of the population is happy about solar panels, nuclear energy has received much better funding.
In the following infographic we break down why nuclear energy might not be as green as they are promoted.
Knowing this all, we at GreenMatch believe that solar panels are the truly sustainable power source for the British, and suggest to give it another thought whether nuclear power plants are really the future that you would like.
Attila was the Front-End Developer at GreenMatch. He holds a degree in international marketing and has several years of experience in web development and user experience. Attila likes to write about solar energy, heating technology, environmental protection, and sustainability. His and his team’s articles appeared in well-known sites such as The Conversation, Earth911, EcoWatch, and Gizmodo.
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