UK Youth Parliament - Debatable Issue 5 - text only version |
||
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||
Contents Young people set to storm House of Lords The great sex & relationships debate |
Britain’s future energy | |
By Matthew Parker (forum name Matt. P) It is predicted that by 2020 all of Britain’s coal and nuclear plants will be out of service. That’s 25% of Britain’s energy. Expected to replace this is gas and oil. Nevertheless, not only are there huge environmental impacts associated with fossil fuels, such as global warming, but political and economical factors too. Around this time North Sea oil will have almost run out and we will have to import 75% of our fuel. Most of the oil and gas we are dependent on comes from Russia and the Middle East, and due to either internal turmoil or politics, are not secure supplies. Oil and gas reserves are also expected to run dry within 72 years, and through all this, energy consumption is expected to rise in Britain. It is clear for all people, both environment lovers or not, that we have to turn away from fossil fuels. But what will keep Britain “ticking” then? In 2002 the Government pledged that by 2010, 10% of our energy will be from renewable sources. The deadline is now two years away, yet only 2% is provided by these sources. It is unlikely that renewables will keep up with demand. Another problem is the huge cost that will go into developing renewable sources and, most importantly, their unreliability. The largest renewable energy sources in the future will be wind, solar and tidal. We cannot control these; they will not increase when demand is high or decrease when demand is low. Renewables of the present are also inefficient compared to other sources; it would take seven of the world’s largest wind farms in the world to produce the same energy of a single coal plant. Although these may improve in the future, the demand is now; especially if we want to fulfil Kyoto’s target of 30% of our emissions by 2020. There will also undoubtedly be an environmental impact or opposition to covering large areas of our farmland and coastlines with generating units. At present I therefore see only one reliable and economic solution while at the same time saving our atmosphere. A source that immediately springs to mind “Chernobyl” and “cancer”; that is of course nuclear power. However when looked at rationally many of these fears are unfounded. The new generation nuclear plants can be 15 times more productive than the world’s largest wind farm and under government regulation are designed to withstand a 747 impact. This would also rule out the possibility of Chernobyl style accident. Although not renewable in the strictest sense, there are enough supplies to last 700 years, and comes from countries allied to Britain. The small quantities required means it is possible to have an “energy reserve” of years, rather than months. Strict levels of transport and training are used in these plants. Lastly, a report by the Department of Health showed no signs of cancer among people who lived nearby. The best model is France, which gets 80% of their power from nuclear sources. In 1970, France invested heavily in their nuclear program to make it the most advanced in the world. In 40 years there has not been one nuclear accident or failure at these plants. France has the cleanest air in the EU and emissions 1/10th of the UK’s. Nuclear power is developed and ready to be used, until new, cleaner sources become available to us. Environmental organisations and the public have long been opposed to nuclear power but in the end they must choose; use nuclear power or begin lighting the candles. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Agree/disagree with Matt.P’s article? Discuss with MYPs and other young people from across the UK right now at the UKYP online forums. Hundreds of other young people have already signed up, so don’t delay, visit the forum today! Register now at: www.ukyp.org.uk/forums |
||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||
What next? Discuss this article in the UKYP Forums Discuss this article on Votivation.com Return to the UK Youth Parliament website
|
||