Why we are not switching to atomic or solar energy?
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Answer:
Many utilities are taking another look at nuclear energy now that high prices and Global Climate Change are overcoming the social concerns associated with it. It takes a long time and a lot of money to commission a nuke plant though - almost always way more than anybody thinks starting out. Also, the safety regulations and requirements make nuclear energy more expensive to generate - about 4 times the staff is required vs. other forms of power generation.
As for solar, it's really capacity limited at the moment, there are not enough solar energy systems being made to satisfy demand.
Switching to new energy sources takes time and money since new industries have to be built up to serve the new energy source.
Economics. It costs more to switch from conventional electricity to nuclear power plants. If you looked at the cost overruns for even building a reactor you would puke. I think it was like 5 times more expensive in cost overruns. Solar energy only works where there is alot of sunlight through out the whole year like California but other states wouldnt benefit. The ROI would never be reached if you lived in a state with barely any sun through out the year.
Both are very expensive...atomic energy is dangerous...you have to make your energy plant so safe that even one small radiation doesn't escape, or else it will mean danger for the living things outside. That requires a huge amount of money.
Also, silicon chips used for capturing sunrays are expensive too, also they take up a lot of space...Unless we don't find a cheaper way to use these types of energy, people are going to continue using the limited forms of energy.
Nuclear has too many waste disposal problems,solar is not yet efficient enough.Almost all industrialized nations are developing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies while the US sits around playing with inefficient(cost and energy) ethanol because of politics.
Everybody is all in favor of atomic energy . . . until you want to build a reactor in their city or town. The only reason I can think of that solar energy hasn't caught on is, perhaps, the current producers of electricity have the initiative stymied.
In the UK, we are changing to nuclear energy as has just been passed by the government. However, I do not understand why solar pannels can not be incorporated into the buidling of all new housing, as the house prices are high enough as it is!
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