Is Nuclear Energy Renewable or Nonrenewable? Examining the Ongoing Debate
Nuclear power plants offer low-carbon emissions, but is nuclear energy renewable or nonrenewable? Image by Pixabay, Pexels. Whether or not nuclear energy should belong to the category of a renewable or a nonrenewable source has long been a matter of controversy on a global scale. With reasonably valid arguments from both sides, major organizations cannot agree on nuclear renewability status—a distinction that holds huge implications for global climate policy. Other influential authorities, however, do not classify nuclear as renewable, relying as it does on mined uranium found in finite quantities. Current reserves can maintain the current usage for 100 years, which is still limited for expansion. However, uranium can be harvested from seawater, which naturally replenishes. Nuclear also emits minimal carbon in its lifecycle like wind and solar, therefore a complement to fighting climate change. And the fact that nuclear power generation can contribute 20% of the clean...