Draft 3: Summary Reader Response

In the article, “How Can Southeast Asia’s Clean Energy Transition Be Sped Up?” Daubach (2019) proposed ways to promote green energy production and the areas that needs to be improved in the region. Moniz, the Chief Executive of Energy Futures Initiative and Nuclear Threat Initiative, mentioned that the region is required to deploy a wide variety of low carbon technologies and solutions to electricity generation in order to reduce emissions. The author also mentioned that Singapore is a land-scarce country that may benefit from nuclear fusion or use hydrogen as a zero-emissions fuel for vehicles and energy storage. In addition, he reported that the usage of coal which is the biggest source of greenhouse emissions has increased in 2018. He added that by improving efficiency requirements will reduce electrical consumptions. The article states that nuclear fusion may benefit Southeast Asia. However, it is not practical for Southeast Asian countries like Singapore to do so because it does not have a strategic location, it’s not environmentally friendly and its expensive to build.

The selection and evaluation of a nuclear facilities site suitable for nuclear fusion is a crucial process which can significantly affect the costs, public acceptance, and safety of the installation. For a nuclear power reactor to be constructed in Singapore, locating a safe site is detrimental given that Singapore is a densely populated country, where any disaster that may occur will disrupt the entire economy. In my opinion, given the country's geographical size, the global standard of an adequate safety radius between the facility and the population can never be met. It needs to have at least 30km safety radius. Buildings, roads, houses, and economic activity are prohibited within this radius. It is further supported in the article, 'Reconsidering Nuclear Energy in Singapore' Phua (2016) which stated that although Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011 were planned and built on a strategically safe location, nuclear tragedy still happened and that safety can never be guaranteed.

 

In addition to nuclear energy production, used nuclear fuel entails radioactivity, that its waste must meet standards and regulation to ensure long-term safety for the environment, human health and all living things. In the article, "Nuclear Power Trend in Southeast Asia and Its Contested Discourses On Climate Change" Manpati (2020) stated that the downside of nuclear power is the disposal of hazardous radioactive waste. The disposal may take up to 50-100 years following the most common method, deep geology disposal. This unnecessary waste will pollute the environment and may harm the biodiversity of earth. Furthermore, researchers are still finding ways to the most viable method to dispose nuclear waste to ensure the public safety and health.

 

Nuclear energy facilities will most likely face a cost overrun as the long-lasting construction time takes an average of 10.1 years to build. Nuclear is an expensive endeavour and makes no sense in terms of the need to act immediately in order to mitigate the crisis of climate change. In the article, "Nuclear Energy Too Slow, Too Expensive To Save Climate" Reuters (2019) states that nuclear energy cost between US$112 and US$189 to generate as compared to solar power which ranges from US$36 to US$44 per megawatt hour. Daubach (2019) mentioned that Moniz said Southeast Asian countries needs more innovation to "reduce cost in power". This means that nuclear power is falling behind to renewables in terms of cost and capacity as it was less economical and slower to reverse carbon emissions. 

 

Although nuclear fusion may seem to be a solution to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, not all countries have viable requirements to implement one. 


(602 Words)


References:

Manpati, T. (2020, Nov 9). Nuclear Power Trend In Southeast Asia and Its Contested Discourses on Climate Change. Th.Boell.

https://th.boell.org/en/2020/11/09/nuclear-power-trend-southeast-asia


Nuclear Energy Too Slow, Too Expensive To Save Climate. (2019, Sep 24). Business Insiders.

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/energy-commodities/nuclear-energy-too-slow-too-expensive-to-save-climate-report


Phua, D. (2015, Oct 26). Reconsidering Nuclear Energy For Singapore. IPScommons.

https://ipscommons.sg/reconsidering-nuclear-energy-for-singapore/


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/

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