Nuclear energy has some distinct advantages in strengthening the external dimension of energy supply security. These include:
• Nuclear power plants produce electricity domestically. Their capital and labor inputs are also provided domestically. With more than 90% of its inputs in terms of value sourced domestically, it can be considered a largely domestic source of energy and electricity.
• Of course, a majority of OECD countries import part or all of their requirements of uranium plutonium. (more…)
Geopolitical risk refers almost always to primary energy carriers (oil, gas, coal, uranium or renewable energy) since their location depends on the vagaries of geology and climate. Production and energy consumption are thus often physically far apart and take place in countries and regions with different histories, cultures and values. Apart from oil & gas exploration and production, all other steps of the energy chain such as refinement or enrichment, energy conversion and distribution can be moved physically closer to the final customer or are, like consumption, directly under the latter’s control. (more…)
The accumulation of carbon within a forest growth cycle can be considered in four stages. The initial establishment stage involves low global carbon cycle accumulation and may even experience net carbon loss (particularly from soil) as a result of site preparation and low biomass and bioenergy inputs. A rapid uptake of carbon is then experienced during the second phase, known as the full vigor stage, which subsequently levels off as the stand reaches the mature stage. Finally, the forest reaches old growth and the carbon is in steady state with accumulation associated with new growth balanced by mortality and disturbances. (more…)
Statistics on national production levels and indicators of environmental pressure have been collected during the past few decades (and reconstructed for the more distant past) to document the link between world economic growth and the environment. The theory of world economic growth and economic theories of world natural resources provide explanations and interpretations of the trends as well as methods to assess future developments. The basic approach in most statistical and theoretical analyses is the decomposition of aggregate production function of a nation into, on the one hand, the current state of technology and, on the other hand, the inputs into the national production process. The main inputs are labor (hours worked), capital (produced means of production that can be used over a certain time period), and world natural resources. (more…)
