Research proposal
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School
University of Nevada, Las Vegas *
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Course
102
Subject
English
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
3
Uploaded by MasterNeutron10864
1 Rodriguez
Jimmie Rodriguez
Mr.Kilkenny
ENG 101
2/15/23
Exploring the reasons behind the underutilization of nuclear energy in the United States
Nuclear energy has the potential to be a reliable and clean energy source, as it produces
zero greenhouse gas emissions during power generation. However, the utilization of nuclear
energy in the United States has not been as widespread as in other countries. The U.S. operates
only 93 nuclear reactors, compared to China's 50 and France's 56. Despite being a leader in
nuclear energy technology, the United States has not increased its nuclear energy production
capacity in recent years. Advancements in nuclear energy production could help the major public
and decrease the world's crutch on fossil fuels. This research proposal aims to investigate the
reasons behind the underutilization of nuclear energy in the United States.
The underutilization of nuclear energy in the United States is a vast topic, and to help
focus my research, I came up with multiple research questions. First, what are the leading causes
of the United States' low nuclear energy utilization? Second, how do attitudes and views of the
general public toward nuclear power affect how it is used in the United States? Third, how much
of the United States' underuse of nuclear energy is due to political and economic factors? Finally,
what possible remedies or regulatory adjustments could expand the country's usage of nuclear
energy? After answering these questions, I will have a better insight into the world of nuclear
energy and be able to answer why nuclear energy is underutilized in the U.S.
2 Rodriguez
Over 10% of the world's power is produced using nuclear energy, making it an essential
energy source in many nations. However, the use of nuclear energy has been restricted in the
United States, and during the past few decades, it has contributed less to creating power. The
entire nuclear energy supply chain, including design, building, operations, and maintenance, can
create a considerable number of work opportunities. In the U.S., increasing nuclear energy use
can assist economic growth and employment creation. Moreover, it can offer the baseload power
needed to support the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar
energy. By providing a steady and dependable source of energy that can assist in balancing the
fluctuation of renewable energy sources, increased nuclear energy utilization can encourage the
expansion of renewable energy. Nuclear power plants are a viable choice for satisfying the
nation's energy needs since they can offer a consistent and dependable source of electricity. As
they can run continuously for up to 18 months without refueling, nuclear power plants offer a
reliable source of electricity that is not impacted by changes in the weather or fuel prices.
For the research, I plan on using multiple peer-reviewed journals and books from UNLV
and other previous research done by the nuclear party to answer some research questions. Using
both of those, I plan on creating a survey to issue to many people to find out how the public
views nuclear energy to answer the questions about public relations with nuclear energy. I will be
able to find peer-reviewed journals about the public attitude towards different energy sources,
including nuclear. The amount of information I can find should be limited by what I can think of
since I know there is much discourse about energy production. With all of this combined, it will
make my research paper more organized and fleshed out in 10 pages.
Hopefully, after all my research, I can come to a definitive answer to my research
question and the reason why nuclear energy is being underutilized in the U.S. With this as well, it
3 Rodriguez
will be helpful to any policymakers, energy companies, and environmentalists to make informed
decisions regarding nuclear energy use in the U.S. Additionally, the research will help to identify
potential solutions and policy changes that could increase the use of nuclear energy in the United
States.
Works Cited
U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - independent statistics and analysis
.
Nuclear explained - data and statistics - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
(n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2023, from
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nuclear/data-and-statistics.php
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