Solar Versus Nuclear: Choosing Energy Futures

by Mans Lönnroth, Thomas B. Johansson, Peter Steen

Overview

Solar Versus Nuclear: Choosing Energy Futures study is an eight-chapter text that studies the long-term implications of Sweden's decisions to explore nuclear energy and other alternative development options. Sweden's high standards of living, energy intensive industries, advanced technology in many fields, strong tradition of electrification and a competent utility organization, abundant reserves of (admittedly low grade) uranium, low population density and a large number of suitable reactor sites, make nuclear energy seemed ideal. Chapter I deals with some different ways of describing and viewing energy, while Chapter 2 analyzes the earlier changes of energy sources in an attempt to describe the relations between the development of society and energy consumption. Chapter 3 is concerned with the durability and other essential characteristics of these energy sources. Chapter 4 discusses two distinct developments, one leads to a Nuclear Sweden with its energy supply based chiefly on uranium and the other to a Solar Sweden based on renewable energy sources. This chapter compares the characteristics and costs of the two alternatives and discusses the possibilities of combining them. Chapter 5 covers the possible developmental tendencies built into the present energy policy, and Chapter 6 looks into the proposals for a conceivable transitional solution for the 1980's, which could reduce the dependence on oil while preserving both the solar and nuclear option as possible alternatives. Chapter 7 discusses the organizational changes in energy conservation and energy production. Lastly, Chapter 8 considers some questions regarding the effect of the energy systems on the long-term development of society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483279039
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	10/22/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	186
File size:	4 MB

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Summary Of Contents

1 Energy - Some Viewpoints And General Approaches

1.1. Energy - On The Market And In Nature

1.2. Energy In Society

1.3. Energy In The Economy

1.4. Energy In The Society Of The Future

Introduction

Future Energy Needs?

Environment And Safety

An Ecological Approach?

1.5. What Is The Real Problem?

2 Energy And Societal Development In Interaction

2.1. Introduction

2.2. Change Of Energy Sources - Technology And Organization

2.3. The Swedish Electricity System

2.4. Some Observations

2.5. The Development Of Energy Consumption

2.6. Energy In Politics

2.7. Conclusions

3 Sweden's Energy Supply From An International Perspective

3.1. Introduction

3.2. Global Energy Consumption

3.3. Energy Supplies - In Industrialised And Developing Countries

3.4. Oil

3.5. Natural Gas

3.6. Coal

3.7. Nuclear Power

3.8. Renewable Energy Sources

3.9. Other Energy Sources

3.10. Sweden In The Future Energy Market

4 Two Energy Futures

4.1 Nuclear Sweden

Production Plant

Fuel

Fuel Cycle

Siting, Distribution And Load Management

Safety

What Would Nuclear Sweden Cost?

Some Uncertainties And Obscurities Concerning Nuclear Sweden

4.2 Solar Sweden

The Energy Supply Of Solar Sweden

Construction Of The Energy System

Electricity System

Load Management

Short-Term Regulation (Day-Week)

Seasonal Storage

Rates Of Introduction

Costs Of Solar Sweden

Uncertainties

4.3 Similarities And Dissimilarities Between Nuclear And Solar Sweden

Technological Characteristics

Resource Requirements

Energy In The National Economy

4.4 Variants Of Nuclear Sweden And Solar Sweden

5 Where Are We Going?

5.1 Introduction

5.2 The Energy Enterprises And The System Of Rules And Regulations - A Consideration Of Principles

5.3 Technological Change - The Need For A Driving Force

5.4 Research, Development, Plans And Expectations

5.5. Tariffs And Financing As Conditions For Competition

5.6 Piecemeal Decision-Making - An Intellectual Experiment

6 The Transitional Period - On Energy Supply In The 80's

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Energy Sources During A Transitional Period

6.3 Energy Utilisation During The Transitional Period

Transportation

Industrial Processing Heat

Heating Of Buildings

Electricity

7 Organization Of Energy Policy

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Who Can Take The Responsibility

7.3 Local Government Energy Planning

7.4 The Strategic Aims Of The State

7.5 The Financing Of Energy Management

7.6 The Organization Of The Electricity Sector

8 Choosing A Future - Uncertainties And Values

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Technology And Societal Structure

8.3 Faith In The Social System

8.4 Energy And Everyday Life

8.5 The Society Of The Future And The Alternatives

Bibliography And Notes

The Secretariat For Futures Studies - Organization

Index