Nuclear Energy

Nuclear power is nothing new to the world, but more people do not understand how prominent it actually is an energy source. Currently, a little less than 20% of the electricity that is produced and used in the United States is provided via nuclear energy plants. While there have not been any nuclear plants built and activated since 1996, they are by no means ready to become extinct. Several plants are under construction with many more planned to be built in the very near future. Over the next decade, nuclear energy will become much more prominent than it already is today.

The one negative aspect of nuclear energy is the radioactive waste that is generated. Currently, this waste is kept at the plants, but there is actually a plan that is being developed that will allow the nuclear energy plants a safe alternative to dispose of their waste. This will alleviate a great deal of the concern that people have developed. While the waste is stored safely at the plants, the myths and misinformation that have swept over the lands give a perception that is much worse than the reality.

On the positive side, there are no harmful emissions during the actual production of the energy. The only fossil fuels that are burned during the entire process are related to the actual mining and transportation of the uranium to the nuclear power plants. However, even that area will show dramatic improvement in years to come as alternative energies are explored, such as electric powered vehicles, which can replace the current equipment and transportation that are gas dependent.

Nuclear energy is and will continue to be a vital cog in the energy sector for many years to come. The reality of the market is that they have never been safer to operate. Time has taught the industry many lessons and each and every one of them has led to another advancement that allows nuclear energy to be more efficient and safer to produce.

While nuclear energy is the obvious draw for anyone wanting to invest in the nuclear sector, there are quite a few other interests to consider. As a matter of fact, it is the technological aspect of this niche that should truly have people excited. The advancements of nuclear technology in such fields as medicine, industry and food processing will assure investors that their money will be working for them in this sector for many years to come.

Medical applications may be the most prominent nuclear niche that people are familiar with in addition to energy. Radiation treatments remain one of the primary ways to treat cancer patients and it also continues to be the most successful. However, there are many other attributes of nuclear medicine. There are also various imagery techniques that make use of nuclear technology. The medical field alone should create enough excitement about nuclear materials to invest in this market.

In addition to its medical uses, radioactive elements are also used in certain food processes, industrial and commercial applications. From road construction to oil and gas exploration, from killing bacteria and viruses to slowing down the ripening process, nuclear elements play a very prominent role. The roles that nuclear materials and nuclear energy play in all of these fields is far too important for it to ever be eliminated. If anything, nuclear materials will be used more often, thereby increasing the overall attractiveness of the nuclear sector as an investment.

While nuclear energy is the clear market driver of the nuclear sector, there is a variety of other niches that make this a sound investment not only now, but also for many years to come. There was a hiatus over the last decade regarding the building of nuclear power plants, which has now ceased. There are approximately 50 nuclear plants that are either in the planning stages or that have already begun construction. The general public seems to forget that for all intents and purposes, this technology is only about 50 years old. It is in essence a mere child in the energy world.

The medical industry is also expanding its use of nuclear materials in their industry. Radiation has been used for some time in the treatment of cancer patients, but that is merely one aspect of nuclear technology in the medical field. Many of the imagery processes that are used in the medical world are nuclear related. From simple x-rays to more involved processes that actually inject a small amount of nuclear material into the patient for better images. This technology is far from being outdated and is actually being expanded upon.

Exploration and construction industries also make great use of nuclear technology. Well logging has been a standard practice for years and is an instrumental process in locating new wells and also figuring out how viable existing wells remain. The same can be said for road construction as nuclear density/moisture gauges determine the density asphalt, concrete and soils. To stop using these tools would be like going back to the stone ages.

While many people may not be aware of it, radiation is also used in the treatment of many of our food products. Food irradiation is necessary to kill off bacteria, microorganisms, insects and viruses that are present in some foods. This very same process is also used for non-food items such as automobile parts, medical hardware and plastics. It is actually more commonly used in this aspect and is a necessary part of the processing. This has been going on for decades and will continue to go on to make sure both food and goods are safe to use for the consumer.

The bottom line is that investors are getting much more for their money by investing in the nuclear sector than just energy. Because this technology is so new, it will only continue to expand. As more uses for nuclear materials are found, this sector will become more and more profitable. It may not appear this way to someone that is just now seeking to get involved in the energy market, but nuclear energy is still a “ground floor” opportunity.

Nuclear energy definitely got off on the wrong foot with the environment, but there have been great strides after those first few rough lessons were learned. As nuclear energy continues to be developed and more uses are found outside of the energy sector for nuclear materials, this particular niche will continue to grow and become more profitable.

There is no denying the negative aspect of nuclear energy. It creates nuclear waste that is harmful to both people and the environment if it is not disposed of properly. They keyword there is “if.” There were some hard lessons learned, but the important thing is that they were indeed learned. Plants now have safety measures in place to virtually assure that there will ever be any further complications. The proposed plan of having a nuclear depository where all nuclear plants can safely store their waste away from the plants only solidifies the fact that nuclear energy is and will be safer with every passing day.

There is also no denying the fact that nuclear energy leaves no carbon footprint while creating energy. Detractors will point to the fact that fossil fuels are used in the mining and transportation processes, but that can be said of any energy sector. Even renewable energies burn fossil fuels during their construction phases. That point will become further mute as electricity as a means of powering transportation becomes even more viable. It is not unreasonable to think that this “issue” can be eliminated altogether over the next few decades.

While nuclear waste will always be the elephant in the room, using nuclear energy is a positive move in regards to the environment. Carbon emissions are all but erased when this is used as the primary energy source and nuclear energy as a whole shows signs of dramatic increase within the next decade.