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Nuclear energy protects air quality
Nuclear is a zero-emission clean energy source.
While generating substantial carbon-free power, nuclear energy is highly efficient in its land use. A standard 1,000-megawatt nuclear facility in the United States operates on just over 1 square mile,
compared to wind farms needing 360 times more land and solar photovoltaic plants requiring 75 times more space to generate equivalent electricity.
To illustrate, matching the output of a typical commercial reactor would demand over 3 million solar panels or more than 430 wind turbines (excluding capacity factor considerations).
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Nuclear energy’s land footprint is small
Nuclear energy, despite generating significant carbon-free power
is notably efficient in land use. A standard 1,000-megawatt nuclear facility in the United States operates on just over 1 square mile, while wind farms require 360 times more land,
and solar photovoltaic plants need 75 times more space to produce equivalent electricity, according to NEI.
To illustrate, matching a typical commercial reactor's output would necessitate over 3 million solar panels or more than 430 wind turbines (excluding capacity factor considerations).
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Nuclear energy produces minimal waste
Nuclear fuel possesses an extraordinary density
approximately 1 million times greater than traditional energy sources. Consequently, the volume of used nuclear fuel is surprisingly small. All the used nuclear fuel generated by the U.S. nuclear energy industry in the last 60 years could fit on a football field at a depth of less than 10 yards.
While this waste can be reprocessed and recycled, the United States currently doesn't engage in this practice. However, emerging advanced reactor designs may operate using used fuel.
The NICE Future Initiative, part of the Clean Energy Ministerial, globally advocates for considering nuclear power in developing future advanced clean energy systems.
