Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions that release energy to generate heat, which most frequently is then used in steam turbines to produce electricity in a nuclear power station. Since plans for a nuclear power plant at Carnsore Point in County Wexford were dropped in the 1970s, nuclear power in Ireland has been off the agenda. Ireland gets about 60% of its energy from gas, 15% from renewable and the remainder from coal and peat. Proponents argue that nuclear energy is now safe and emits much less carbon emissions than coal plants. Opponents argue that recent nuclear disasters in Japan prove that nuclear power is far from safe.
31% Yes |
69% No |
27% Yes |
59% No |
3% Yes, temporarily while we increase investment into cleaner renewable alternatives |
11% No, we should invest in cleaner alternatives such as wind, hydroelectric, thorium, and geothermal |
1% Yes, and nationalise the industry |
|
1% Yes, as long as there is no public subsidy |
|
0% Yes, but with public subsidy |
See how support for each position on “Nuclear Energy” has changed over time for 402k New Zealand voters.
Loading data...
Loading chart...
See how importance of “Nuclear Energy” has changed over time for 402k New Zealand voters.
Loading data...
Loading chart...
Unique answers from New Zealand users whose views extended beyond the provided choices.
@8D4FQVR4yrs4Y
yes if it is safely controlled away from major cities or places with high population and they can practically guarantee that it won't fail
@9JYJM6J2mos2MO
Yes, but it has to be heavily regulated and monitored and made sure that no one is around to be harmed
@9HK9YD6 4mos4MO
The right wings publics geothermal energy with by legal legend former US president Donald Trump and uk prime minister Boris Johnson issue more about clears environment
@9G73HMY6mos6MO
Small modular reactors (unable to melt down), become a research nation into a viable molten salt reactor.
@9G6SB846mos6MO
Hydrogen and free energy from the quantum level is close. This should be harneesed for future of humanity.
@9G4MSMD6mos6MO
Absolutely yes. Nuclear now documentry explains this. It is the only way to combat carbon cuts efficinently
Stay up-to-date on the most recent “Nuclear Energy” news articles, updated frequently.
@ISIDEWITH10hrs10H
Representatives from more than 30 countries gathered in Brussels in March at a nuclear summit hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Belgian government. Thirty-four nations, including the United States and China, agreed “to work to fully unlock the potential of nuclear energy,” including extending the lifetime of existing reactors, building new nuclear power plants and deploying advanced reactors.“Nuclear technology can play an important role in the clean energy transition,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, told summit attendees. But she added that “the reality today, in most markets, is a reality of a slow but steady decline in market share” for nuclear powerThe numbers underscore that downturn. Solar and wind power together began outperforming nuclear power globally in 2021, and that trend continues as nuclear staggers along. Solar alone added more than 400 gigawatts of capacity worldwide last year, two-thirds more than the previous year. That’s more than the roughly 375 gigawatts of combined capacity of the world’s 415 nuclear reactors, which remained relatively unchanged last year. Pledging to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 is a little like promising to win the lottery.For the United States, it would mean adding an additional 200 gigawatts of nuclear operating capacity (almost double what the country has ever built) to the 100 gigawatts or so that now exists, generated by more than 90 commercial reactors that have been running an average of 42 years. Globally it would mean tripling the existing capacity built over the past 70 years in less than half that time in addition to replacing reactors that will shut down before 2050.The Energy Department estimates the total cost of such an effort in the United States at roughly $700 billion. For much less money and in less time, the world can reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewables like solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal power.
Explore other topics that are important to New Zealand voters.
@ISIDEWITH2wks2W
High density housing refers to housing developments with a higher population density than average. For example, high rise apartments are considered high density, especially in comparison to single-family homes or condominiums. High density real estate can also be developed from empty or abandoned buildings.…
@ISIDEWITH3mos3MO
The two-state solution is a proposed diplomatic solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The proposal envisions an independent State of Palestine that borders Israel. Palestinian leadership has supported the concept since the 1982 Arab Summit in Fez. In 2017 the Hamas (a Palestinian Resistance…
@ISIDEWITH11yrs11Y