wind-turbine vs. nuclear energy

Wind-Turbine vs.

Nuclear Energy

Ecological War or

Metals War?

Wind-Turbine vs.

Nuclear Energy

Decision Point

Is it politics?

Wind-Turbine vs. Nuclear Energy

Does it deal with

metals?


These technologies are both used to

produce electricity.


Why politicians are fighting with these 2

concepts?


Because using wind-turbine seems more

ecological


While using nuclear energy seems more

dangerous.


Will we go green?


Politicians in campaign say that they will

stop nuclear plants to replace them by

wind-turbine farms.


Will it be the case when elected?


• Nuclear reactors decommissioning.


• Hydropower energy.

• Solar power energy.

• Wind-turbines energy

What means going green?


Nuclear Power Today

• Provides almost 20% of world’s electricity (8% in U.S.)

• 69% of U.S. non-carbon electricity generation

• 104 plants in U.S.

• 54 in Japan generating 30% of power in full capacity

• 200+ plants in the Europe

• Leader is France with about 80% of its power from nuclear (58 nuclear plants)

• China operates 15, builds 25 and plans 51.

What is a nuclear reactor?


It is an “enclosed” system where nuclear

reactions are held generating heat to

activate turbine with water steam.



What is the main feed of a nuclear reactor?

Uranium 65%

Plutonium 35%


What is the danger of a nuclear reactor?

• Control lost

• Lost of radioactive material

• Waste disposal

• Irradiation

Nuclear reactors dismantling is not a

common process, it doesn't follow

common protocol due to radiation hazard

especially.


Dismantling can start more than 20 years

after decommissioning starts.

Nuclear reactors decommissioning cost

between $200-$2,600/KWe meaning from

M$400 to M$3,000 per site according to

specialists.


How work a wind turbine?


2,000 to 4,000 wind turbines will replace a

single nuclear reactor.


A wind farm will use 300 times the surface

used by a single nuclear reactor.

2,000 wind turbines is equivalent to 1,200

to 2,400 tons of the famous NdBFe

magnets in gearless wind turbines.


NdBFe magnets have been discovered in

80s. They are 100 times Stronger than

ferrite magnets discovered in early 20s.


Less efficient but cheaper than SmCo

magnets, an other RE (Rare Earth) magnet

discovered in 70s.

What is Rare Earth (RE)?


RE Resources


• China 31%

• CIS 22%

• USA 15%

• Australia 6%

• India 1%

• Malaysia

• Malawi• South Africa

• Namibia

• Madagascar

• Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Burundi

}<1%


Dysprosium Praseodymium Fluoride

PrF3

Sublimed

Ytterbium Metal

Neodymium

REO

Pr Ce

La

Nd

Sm

Gd

RE production is responsible of important

pollution especially in China as this

country is the actual supplier of 95 to 97%

of rare earth material.


Buying more RE material from the main RE

supplier is increasing scarcity factor

giving as well more pressure on RE prices.


China is lowering RE export for

environmental point of view and for its

own purpose.


Stopping plenty nuclear reactors is it the

right choice?


• while money for dismantling and land remediation

per site is so important and often not available.

• while skilled dismantlers are not ready.

• while everybody know that resources are limited?

Moving from nuclear reactors to wind-

turbines energy is it the right choice?


• while countries will have to change material

sourcing

• while changing material sourcing means often

changing dependency

• while changing material means often increasing

scarcity

Moving from nuclear reactors to wind turbines energy

is not as people or politicians may think only a

challenge between nuclear energy and green

energies,


it is also a metals war and should be addressed

properly to miner, metallurgist, environmentalist and

economists.

Talking about moving from nuclear

reactors to wind-turbines energy means:


• a good knowledge of nuclear reactor dismantling

• a good knowledge of alternate resources especially RE

• a good knowledge of RE production environmental

impact

• a good comparisons of energy vs. surface ratio


Talking about moving from nuclear energy

to wind energy is not so smart.


There is hope.


Thank You

Roger Rumbu, Met. Eng.

@Roger Rumbu

wind-turbine vs. nuclear energy

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