| Nuclear power is the controlled use of nuclear | | | | medical treatment |
| reactions to release energy for work including | | | | Research applications including: |
| propulsion, heat, and the generation of electricity. Use | | | | Providing a source of neutron and positron radiation |
| of nuclear power to do significant useful work is | | | | (e.g. Neutron activation analysis and Potassium-argon |
| currently limited to nuclear fission and radioactive | | | | dating) |
| decay. Nuclear energy is produced when a fissile | | | | Development of nuclear technology |
| material, such as uranium-235. (235U), is concentrated | | | | The United States produces the most nuclear |
| such that nuclear fission takes place in a controlled | | | | energy, with nuclear power providing 20% of the |
| chain reaction and creates heat — which is | | | | electricity it consumes, while France produces the |
| used to boil water, produce steam, and drive a | | | | highest percentage of its electrical energy from |
| steam turbine. The turbine can be used for | | | | nuclear reactors—80% as of 2006. In the |
| mechanical work and also to generate electricity. | | | | European Union as a whole, nuclear energy provides |
| Nuclear power provides 7% of the world's energy | | | | 30% of the electricity. Nuclear energy policy differs |
| and 15.7% of the world's electricity and is used to | | | | between countries, and some countries such as |
| power most military submarines and aircraft | | | | Austria and Ireland have no active nuclear power |
| carriers.[1] | | | | stations. |
| Disquiet over the safety of nuclear power was | | | | As of 2007, the IAEA reported there are 435 nuclear |
| exacerbated by the unsafe design and operation of | | | | power reactors in operation in the world , operating |
| the Soviet-built plant at Chernobyl. However, new | | | | in 31 different countries . Together, they produce |
| plants designed to be safer than current Western | | | | about 17% of the world's electric power. The U.S., |
| plants are on the verge of being built - and global | | | | France, and Japan together account for 49% of all |
| warming concerns may spark a resurgence. | | | | nuclear power plants and 57% of all nuclear |
| Controversy remains (see Nuclear energy policy). | | | | generated electricity. |
| Use | | | | International research is ongoing into various safety |
| Power: | | | | improvements, the use of nuclear fusion and |
| Heat for electricity generation | | | | additional uses such as the generation of hydrogen (in |
| Heat for domestic and industrial heating | | | | support of hydrogen economy schemes), for |
| Hydrogen production | | | | desalinating sea water, and for use in district heating |
| Desalination | | | | systems. Lately, there has been renewed interest in |
| Nuclear propulsion: | | | | nuclear energy from national governments due to |
| Nuclear marine propulsion | | | | energy security and climate change. Other reasons |
| Proposed nuclear thermal rockets | | | | for interest include the public, some notable |
| Proposed nuclear pulse propulsion rockets | | | | environmentalists due to increased oil prices, new |
| Transmutation of elements: | | | | passively safe designs of plants. The low emission |
| Production of plutonium, often for use in nuclear | | | | rate of greenhouse gas which all countries, excluding |
| weapons | | | | the US and Australia, need to meet the standards of |
| Creating various radioactive isotopes, such as | | | | the Kyoto Protocol. A few reactors are under |
| americium for use in smoke detectors, and cobalt-60, | | | | construction, and several new types of reactors are |
| molybdenum-99 and others, used for imaging and | | | | planned. |