What are the possible alternatives to nuclear power generation?
 

There are several power generation techniques that do not present the same concerns that nuclear power does. They can be classified in four categores:

Solar power generation

There are two main ways to collect solar energy. The first consists of solar heat conversion to electricity through the use of gases. Solar furnaces use large ground-based arrays of mirrors to direct all incoming light towards a centralized point where water is heated to boiling. The resulting steam powers turbine dynamos, which produce electrical power. Another solar thermal power generation methods is direct air heating, in which a glass greenhouse covering a large area of land absorbs sunlight to heat air. A central tower channels all heated air up past turbines, which power dynamos and make power. These types of plants can use radiative heating from the ground during evening hours. Both solar thermal methods produce no waste, but the power output is limited in comparison to nuclear power generation.

The second method involves photovoltaic cells made from semiconductor materials. Arrays of these cells capture and directly convert solar energy to electricity. This solar power generation technique also has no waste products, but the inefficiency and unreliability of the process makes its application limited.

Wind power generation

In this technique, wind is used to spin rotors which turn turbines, which create power. Wind power generators can be placed either on land or in offshore locations. These plants can be used in varying sizes in any area prone to winds.

Wind power generators do not produce any waste. The major problems with this technique are the inconsistency in electricity production due to the nature of the power source, the need for an unobstructed area, and the large amount of land needed to produce a significant amount of energy.

Hydroelectric power generation

Hydroelectric plants use flowing water to turn turbines in order to produce electricity. Dams are used to control water flow and to increase the water pressure to usable levels for electricity generation.

Hydroelectricity is a clean power source that can be applied to existing dams and reservoirs. The concerns with this method of energy production are that they can disrupt wildlife near the plant, that effluent can deteriots streams and water quality, and that the technology can be used only in areas with flowing water.

Geothermal power generation

Geothermal power relies on heated water deep in the earth’s crust, which is pumped to the surface, where the steam evolved is used to power a turbine and create power. The cooled water is then returned to the earth in a second well.

The only waste produced by geothermal power generation is steam. One critical problem with this type of energy harvesting is that appropriate sites on which to apply the technology are difficult to locate.