Could the entire world run on nuclear energy?

Question

I think it is technically possible. But the drawback is that every country on Earth would potentially be able to make nuclear weapons. A situation which would lead to WW3 in about ... 2 days.

So what's the best option? For the USA or the United Nations to "forbid" certain countries to build nuclear power stations - like they are with Iran? That would mean a series of smaller regional wars as each country has a go at defying this internation law.

Answer 1

Ya of course it is technically possible but it has more disadvantages than the current system and also politics will not let it happen.

Answer 2

It already does. The Sun runs on nuclear energy (fusion).

Answer 3

Yes is an answer to your main question.

As to the rest of the question, I must say that I don't agree.  A nuclear power production and nuclear weapons production I two different capabilities. It is like an apple and an orange.

It takes a lot more effort to make a nuclear weapon than a nuclear plant.  That is why we know Iran wants weapons than nuclear power.  They are trying to increase their enrichment abilities so they can make weapons.

Most reactor fuel is enriched to 3-5%, for weapons it needs to be 93% or higher. I suggest you look into this yourself.

In short, I just wanted to add it is possible to make reactors that modular or battery-like in nature. Have a more responsible like France or Japan  make a reactor for another country, but the core is in a tamper proof confinement. So, we it is time to refuel France or Japan replaces the core for the other country.  That is how it is going to happen pretty much, quite of few of the honest countries are not going to the resources to build reactors or to manage spent fuel.

I didn't mention the US because we don't do reprocessing of nuclear fuel and our current politics would refuse to work with other countiries in getting nuclear plants.

Answer 4

Technically, yes...but the reaons you stated are some of the drawbacks as well as getting rid of the spent fuel, contamination, accidents, etc. Solar power is by far the better "clean" option.....the entire US could be powered by a solar farm of 100 miles square. Thin-cell solar designs such as cadmium-telluride and others offer promise to reduce the cost per kilowatt to 1/2 to 1/3 of current silicon-based solar design prices.

Plasma-gasification technology is also an upcoming technology and method of producing power while eliminating waste products at the same time...theoretically, you can burn just about any solid organic or carbonaceous matter at extremely high temperatures and produce electricity with it and very little, if any, toxic residue.

http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/20...