{"id":139429,"date":"2024-10-23T19:47:50","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T14:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=139429"},"modified":"2024-10-24T17:16:47","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T11:46:47","slug":"big-tech-companies-scouting-for-nuclear-power","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/big-tech-companies-scouting-for-nuclear-power","title":{"rendered":"Big Tech Companies Scouting for Nuclear Power"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google announced its first agreement to buy nuclear energy from Small Modular Reactors (SMR) developed by Kairos Power.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.7788%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt; color: #000000;\"><b>Small modular reactors (SMRs)\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are a new type of <\/span><b>nuclear reactor.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">It can produce electricity as low as 5 MWe to as high as 300 MWe per module.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can also be used for various purposes like\u00a0 <\/span><b>desalination and\u00a0 facility heating.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">It is safer and less expensive than traditional nuclear power plants.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project aims to generate 500 MW of carbon-free power by 2030.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Nuclear Power<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nuclear power uses nuclear reactions to produce electricity.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This energy can be generated through nuclear fission, nuclear decay, and nuclear fusion.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Current Methods: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most nuclear power today comes from fission of uranium and plutonium in nuclear power plants.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nuclear decay is used in specific cases, like powering space probes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Future Potential: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Controlled fusion power could solve some resource limitations of fission power but is not expected to be available commercially in the near future.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Nuclear Energy<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nuclear energy is released from the nucleus of atoms, composed of protons and neutrons.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Types of Nuclear Reactions:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Fission:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Energy is produced when the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Fusion: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Energy is generated when atomic nuclei combine or fuse together.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Current Use of Nuclear Energy<\/b>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li><b>Fission:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Today, nuclear energy used for electricity generation comes from the process of fission.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Fusion: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Electricity generation from nuclear fusion is still under research and development.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Advantages and Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-139395\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/231-6718fc4a5ea8f.webp\" alt=\"Nuclear Power\" width=\"803\" height=\"386\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/231-6718fc4a5ea8f.webp 1133w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/231-6718fc4a5ea8f-300x144.webp 300w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/231-6718fc4a5ea8f-1024x493.webp 1024w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/231-6718fc4a5ea8f-768x369.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Why Big Tech Companies Want Nuclear Power?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Big Tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon and OpenAI are interested in using nuclear power for a few reasons:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>High Energy Needs<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Running Artificial Intelligence (AI) requires a lot of energy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data centres, which store information for these companies, and other online operations\u00a0 use a lot of power.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions rose by 13% in 2023.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Clean Energy Source<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Big Tech companies want to use clean energy sources to avoid pollution.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google views nuclear energy as clean, reliable, and carbon-free, unlike solar power.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reliable Power Source<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nuclear power plants can generate electricity 24\/7, unlike solar or wind power which depend on the weather.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SMRs are smaller and easier to deploy, making them suitable for faster use.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Is Nuclear Energy Clean?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is debate about whether nuclear energy is truly clean.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Accidents:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> There have been some serious nuclear accidents in the past, such as Chernobyl and Fukushima.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While these incidents caused environmental damage and public fear, nuclear energy is still viewed as a potential clean energy source due to its high potential.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Waste:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Nuclear power plants produce radioactive waste that needs to be stored safely for thousands of years.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Groups like \u2018Friends of the Earth\u2019 oppose nuclear energy, calling it dangerous and costly.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They highlight the risks of accidents, leaks, and building nuclear plants in earthquake-prone areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Safety Concerns:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Some people worry about the safety of nuclear power plants, especially in areas prone to natural disasters<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>U.S. Government&#8217;s Stand on Nuclear Energy<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Supporting Nuclear Power<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The U.S. sees nuclear energy as essential for reducing carbon emissions and staying competitive with China and Russia.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Nuclear Leadership<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The U.S. Department of Energy believes nuclear energy helps prevent 500 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, equivalent to removing 100 million cars from the roads.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.043%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 130.811%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Must Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Editorials<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 80.2753%; text-align: center; 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400;\">Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 80.2753%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daily Main Answer Writing<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 130.811%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Google announced its first agreement to buy nuclear energy from Small Modular Reactors (SMR) developed by Kairos Power.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":139712,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2089],"subject":[2092],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/139429"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139429"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/139429\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":139728,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/139429\/revisions\/139728"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139429"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=139429"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=139429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}