This is a significant advantage because wind and solar can only be considered intermittent sources that produce power on a variable schedule. Yet geothermal sources produce can be used to produce power constantly and inexpensively. Because of these advantages, nearly every prime geothermal location on the planet have already been developed or are in the process of being developed and this power source in insufficient to meet the growing energy demand on its own and a combination of sources must be used.
Nuclear Power
Nuclear power has the most advantages of any power source being considered for the future energy demands of the United States. Through fission, the energy produced by 1 kg of uranium-235 is equal to that produced by 2,700 tons of coal; for a million-kw nuclear power plant, only 30 tons of nuclear fuel is needed every year, while a thermal power plant of the same capacity will need 3.3 million tons of coal (Beijing Review). More importantly, a nuclear power plant only releases less than two percent of the carbon dioxide emitted by a thermal power plant of approximately the same capacity. (Beijing Review).
However, many of the tragedies that have occurred in the past have been highly visible and have attracted a significant amount of publicity. In many cases, the public's view of the risks associated with nuclear power is highly exaggerated. However, there is evidence to suggest that this obstacle can be overcome with effective planning. One study analyzed three-hundred and sixty-seven respondents about their perceptions regarding nuclear power along attitudinal, cognitive, and sociodemograpbhic variables and found that confidence in various risk-management institutions...
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