Over the years it has become a challenge to meet an ever-rising global demand for energy. Due to the era of cheap and unsustainable energy supply, also known as fossil fuels, coming to an end, we must consider other forms of energy. Nuclear energy is the energy released during nuclear fission or fusion, when used to generate electricity. Renewable energy is energy from a source that is not depleted when used. Both types of energy are considered to be replacements for fossil fuels, however both with benefits and drawbacks.
One of the main advantages of nuclear energy is that it is a clear power with no atmospheric emissions therefore it does not contribute to global warming. They do not produce smoke particles to pollute the atmosphere or emit gases that contribute to acid rain. When comparing this with the atmospheric emissions of fossil fuels, it is a big advantage. It is by far the most concentrated form of energy - a lot of energy is produced from a small mass of fuel, this reduces transport costs. It is considered low cost power for today’s consumption. The technology has already been developed, it is ready for market use. It is not geographically limited as nuclear power plants don't require a lot of space; they do not need a large plot like a wind farm. It is reliable, unlike some forms of renewable energy, it does not depend on the weather. We can control the output from a nuclear power station to fit our needs. Although radioactive, nuclear power does produce a small amount of waste.
One of the main disadvantages of nuclear power is the potential of high risk disasters. Such as the 1986 incident in Chernobyl, 237 people suffered from acute radiation sickness (ARS), of whom 31 died within the first three months. The effects of this disaster are still being seen today. There is also a high capital cost, the US Energy Information Administration estimated that