Solar energy versus nuclear energy

Solar energy versus nuclear energy

07 February 2022 2 min read

Nuclear power plants harness heat produced during nuclear fission to heat water to produce steam. The steam is used to spin large turbines that generate electricity. Typically, the fuel used is Uranium.

Solar energy is generated when solar panels use the sun’s energy to generate electricity. In simple terms, solar cells interact with incoming light to generate an electrical current.

In light of the climate change crisis, there is no doubt that we have to meet our energy needs using cleaner sources of energy. Both solar and nuclear energy are considered clean energy sources. They leave minimal or no carbon footprint and are renewable energy sources. The solar versus nuclear energy debate has been going on for quite some time. Let us look at how they stack up against the other:

Costs

The cost of building a facility to generate nuclear power compared to setting up a solar system is much more expensive. However, you can set up a solar system in your home or office relatively easily and start reaping the benefits immediately.

Time

As per Lazard, a leading investment banking firm, the average time to build a nuclear plant is 69 months. On the other hand, the average time to set up a home or commercial solar system is 3 months or less and the time to build a large-scale solar utility unit is not more than 9 months. GreenBrilliance will take you through the entire process, from assessment, solutioning, permit issuance to engineering and installation in a smooth, quick and efficient manner.

Capacity

The capacity of a nuclear power plant might be more than that of a typical solar farm or solar solutions implemented in a community or town. This is because it has the capacity to generate power continuously, and solar is dependent on the sun, which is not available to us 24 hours a day. But the long time taken to be operational and high costs outweighs it making solar a favorable choice.

Time to become operational

Solar becomes operational pretty fast compared to nuclear energy. We need this right now, considering the serious issues that planet Earth is facing due to climate change.

Risk

There have been instances when people living around a nuclear facility and the environment have been endangered. Solar energy production is free of such risks making it a safer choice.

If we want lower emissions quickly and cost-effectively, solar energy bests nuclear power as the leading source of carbon-free energy.