Page - 67 - in Water, Energy, and Environment - A Primer

and often volatile costs. Renewable energy technologies are discussed inChapter 8. Note: Nuclear power advocates will make some of the same arguments since the process of releasing energy via nuclear fission does not produce greenhouse gases, but nuclear technology faces four serious problems: high cost, safety, the need for long-term radioactive waste storage, and proliferation of weapons capability. If these problems can be successfully addressed, then nuclear-powered electricity can be a viable option for the future. Nuclear power also offers the tantalizing option of nuclear fusion, a relatively safer and cleaner nuclear technology with enormous resource potential, but the problem of achieving controlled nuclear fusion on Earth – it is the process that powers our Sun – is proving to be the most difficult technological challenge the world has faced to date. It can legitimately be labeled ‘the technology that is always a few years away.’Discussion of the promise and problems of both nuclear fission and fusionpower canbe found inChapter 7. In addressing the conundrum the choice is ours – we can continue to use our coal resourceswithout limit orwe canmove more quickly to a clean energy society that provides needed energy services and minimizes global warming and climate change effects.Most people todaywouldvote for the latter. In addition, it is important to recognize an important realityof our evolving energy system: as renewable energy begins to displace energy from fossil fuels some peoplewill be adversely impacted as this transition unfolds.Wemust take these impacts into account as we move forward to a clean energy future. Dr Maria Zuber, Chair of the US National Science Board and Vice President for Research at MIT, has written eloquently on this topic (36): ‘Asadaughterofcoalcountry, Iknowthesufferingofpeoplewhosefates are tied to the price of a ton of coal. But as a scientist, I know that we cannot repeal the laws of physics. When coal burns, it emits more carbon dioxide than any other fossil fuel. And if we keep emitting this Fossil fuels 67