In the article, “How can Southeast Asia’s clean energy transition be sped up?”, Daubach (2019) highlighted the importance of “green energy production” in Southeast Asia (SEA) and the difficulties that will arise with the change. According to Daubach, Moniz who is the Chief Executive of the Energy Futures Initiative and Nuclear Threat Initiative states that each region in SEA must utilize different “low-carbon technologies and solutions” to reduce emissions. Moniz also mentioned that for SEA to achieve this, each country must think about its distinct difficulties and chances to improve. Singapore due to limitation in space is not able to adopt major wind and solar power generation but can adopt nuclear fusion. However, it is very costly. SEA needs to think about how it creates, keeps and uses the energy more effectively. It is vital that SEA reduces its dependence on coal for energy as continuous use will cause life-threatening occurrences to happen.
Daubach suggests nuclear fusion as an alternative source of energy but fails to address the complications linked to using it. Due to these complications, potential stakeholders avoid investing in this energy leading to the slow rate of change for renewable energy.
There are complications related to nuclear fusion which heavily deter potential stakeholders to implement it. Firstly, is the uncertainty that is related to achieving it. Although scientists have taken multiple years of research to achieve this energy, there is no major breakthrough in producing it. As stated by McGrath, nobody has yet to achieve more energy than the input used to produce it. Additionally, the first plasma is expected to be produced from the Iter project in 2025. This further supports the hesitancy in generating it as stakeholders will be reluctant due to the doubts they have pertaining to producing it.
Secondly, a long planning and authorisation process will be needed before the execution of construction. According to Jacobson (2019), the planning-to-operation (PTO) times of nuclear plants is around 10-19 years. The “time lag between planning and operation of a nuclear reactor includes the times to identify a site, obtain a site permit, purchase or lease the land, obtain a construction permit, obtain financing and insurance for construction, install transmission, negotiate a power purchase agreement, obtain permits, build the plant, connect it to transmission, and obtain a final operating license”. The Iter project itself is estimated to take ten years for construction only. Stakeholders would be more willing to invest in other renewable energy such as wind and solar energy as they will be able to reap the results earlier than nuclear fusion.
Lastly, there are many factors that have to be considered for the generation of nuclear fusion energy. Massive amounts of heat will be released when producing it. According to Jassby (2018), Iter will release the heat from cooling towers and use the cooling water from Canal de Provence which channels water from the Durance River. A combined flow rate of 12 cubic meters per second will be used during fusion operations. The reaction will also produce radiation thus it is important that it is contained. Iter has huge “concrete cylinder 3.5 meters thick, 30 meters in diameter and 30 meters tall” named the Bioshield that will stop radiation from being released to the environment. There is also a need to decommission nuclear waste that will add up to more than 300 million dollars. Due to the many considerations that have to be taken care of, nuclear fusion is seen as an unattractive source of renewable energy.
Daubach mostly discusses the positive traits of nuclear fusion with the only negative trait of it being costly. Based on the complications that were raised, it is understandable why many stakeholders refuse to implement nuclear fusion. With such complications, it will be difficult to convince potential stakeholders in generating this energy. I feel that to convince these stakeholders, scientist have to think of ways to overcome these complications first. I am sure that with improvements, the transition to such energy will speed up.
Reference:
Daubach, T. (2019, July 19). How can Southeast Asia’s Clean Energy Transition be Sped Up? Eco-Business.
https://www.eco-business.com/news/how-can-southeast-asias-clean-energy-transition-be-sped-up/
Jacobson, Z. (2019, June 20). The 7 Reasons Why Nuclear Energy is not the Answer to Solve Climate Change. Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation.
https://www.leonardodicaprio.org/the-7-reasons-why-nuclear-energy-is-not-the-answer-to-solve-climate-change/
Daniel, J. (2017, April 19). Fusion reactors: Not what they’re cracked up to be.
https://thebulletin.org/2017/04/fusion-reactors-not-what-theyre-cracked-up-to-be/
Daniel, J. (2018, February 14). ITER is a showcase … for the drawbacks of fusion energy.
https://thebulletin.org/2018/02/iter-is-a-showcase-for-the-drawbacks-of-fusion-energy/
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