Japan's magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami have passed, but the Fukushima nuclear leaking crisis is far from over. It is quite likely that it will take months to bring the nuclear crisis under control. The natural disasters and human factors that caused the Fukushima nuclear crisis will surely make people take a more prudent attitude toward the revival of nuclear power.

The revival of nuclear power has generated hot debate in recent years. Concerns about energy security and greenhouse gas emissions have spurred more and more countries to adopt nuclear power as their top choice for clean energy. Its revival, however, does not mean that nuclear power is going to generate a higher percentage of the world's electricity in the short term. In fact, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates that if countries in the world do not change their policies and maintain current fund support levels for nuclear power, the percentage of electricity generated by nuclear power will drop over the next 20 years.

Interest in nuclear power is not utterly unreasonable. Studies show the world's population will continue to steadily grow in the future. Demand for electricity and other major energy resources will grow with it.

But the supply of fossil fuels and other alternative energy, such as wind and solar power, may not be able to meet increased demand. Moreover, fossil fuels are the main cause of carbon emissions.

Nuclear power has become an ideal choice for new energy because it is clean, relatively inexpensive and can be built almost anywhere. According to the latest IAEA annual report, more than 60 countries, mostly in the developing world, told the nuclear agency they might be interested in developing nuclear energy, and 58 IAEA member nations have taken part in technological cooperation programs to develop nuclear plants. Nuclear power seems likely to take a move forward. Many countries are now discussing its revival.

Related

• Japan to raise nuclear crisis severity level to 7
• Nuclear crisis energizes grid, wind power efforts
• Inside a nuclear ghost town: Minamisoma, Japan
• UN: No change at Japan's nuclear plant after quake
• U.S. sees array of new threats at Japan's nuclear plant
• Japan: Nitrogen injected to avert another nuclear plant explosion
• Can 'clean' nuclear power save the world?
• Japan's nuclear struggle continues
• Japan nuclear crisis not yet over

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)