Wind-Turbine vs. Nuclear Energy Ecological War or Metals War?

Wind-Turbine vs. Nuclear Energy

Decision Point

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Is it politics?

Wind-Turbine vs. Nuclear Energy

Does it deal with metals?

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These technologies are both used to produce electricity.

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Why politicians are fighting with these 2 concepts?

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Because using wind-turbine seems more ecological

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While using nuclear energy seems more dangerous.

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Will we go green?

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Politicians in campaign say that they will stop nuclear plants to replace them by wind-turbine farms.

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Will it be the case when elected?

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What means going green?

Nuclear reactors decommissioning.

Hydropower energy.

Solar power energy.

Wind-turbines energy

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Nuclear Power Today

Provides almost 20% of worlds 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.

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What is a nuclear reactor?

Wind-Turbine vs. Nuclear Energy

It is an enclosed system where nuclear reactions are held generating heat to activate turbine with water steam.

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What is the main feed of a nuclear reactor? Uranium 65% Plutonium 35%

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What is the danger of a nuclear reactor?

Control lost

Lost of radioactive material

Waste disposal
Irradiation

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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.

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Nuclear reactors decommissioning cost between $200-$2,600/KWe meaning from M$400 to M$3,000 per site according to specialists.

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How work a wind turbine?

Wind-Turbine vs. Nuclear Energy

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.

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2,000 wind turbines is equivalent to 1,200 to 2,400 tons of the famous NdBFe magnets in gearless wind turbines.

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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.

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What is Rare Earth (RE)?

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RE Resources
China CIS USA Australia India Malaysia Malawi South Africa Namibia Madagascar Democratic Republic of the Congo Burundi 31% 22% 15% 6% 1%

<1%

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Dysprosium Praseodymium Fluoride PrF3 Sublimed Ytterbium Metal

Neodymium Pr Gd Sm Nd La

Ce

REO

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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.

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Buying more RE material from the main RE supplier is increasing scarcity factor giving as well more pressure on RE prices.

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China is lowering RE export for environmental point of view and for its own purpose.

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Stopping plenty nuclear reactors is it the right choice?

while everybody know that resources are limited?

while money for dismantling and land remediation per site is so important and often not available.
while skilled dismantlers are not ready.

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Moving from nuclear reactors to windturbines 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

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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.

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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

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Talking about moving from nuclear energy to wind energy is not so smart.

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There is hope.

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Thank You

Roger Rumbu, Met. Eng. @Roger Rumbu