Speaker: Prof. Jacopo Buongiorno, Dr. Charles Forsberg, Dr. Jacquelyn Yanch
Can nuclear energy mitigate global warming and prevent fearful energy wars threatening the future of humanity? What about the limits of our ability to build plants robust to natural disasters? Come and hear what the experts tell us and engage in a lively debate.
Nuclear is a high-intensity energy source with a practically unlimited fuel
availability and a long record of excellent safety. The environmental benefits
of nuclear are clear: as a near-zero-CO2 emission energy source, nuclear can
contribute to combating climate change. However, its contribution will be
greatly enhanced, if its use is not limited only to the electric power market.
In this presentation we will discuss a new paradigm in which (i) nuclear energy
can be used to displace large amounts of fossil fuels (and their related CO2
emissions) from the transportation sector, and (ii) nuclear can be combined
with and stabilize renewable energy sources (such as wind and solar) to enable
their expansion. While representing a cleaner energy option than the burning of
fossil fuels during normal operation, nuclear power has the potential for
significant environmental contamination in the event of a severe reactor
accident in which fuel is compromised and radioactivity is released. We will
review radiation effects on humans and the long-term environmental implications
of a large release, with particular emphasis on the recent accident at the
Fukushima-Daiichi plant in Japan.

Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): MIT Energy Club