Why is nuclear energy considered a nonrenewable resource

In a Flash

Nuclear power plant generating electricity.

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy comes from the nucleus of atoms. The energy is released by nuclear fusion (nuclei are fused together) or nuclear fission (nuclei are split apart). Nuclear plants use nuclear fission of a radioactive element called uranium to generate electricity.

Burning Questions

Atoms are extremely small. Usual sizes are around 100 picometers.

Where does nuclear energy come from?

Atoms – the particles that make up every object in the universe – consist of neutrons, protons and electrons. They contain a nucleus, which is where nuclear energy comes from.

Nuclear energy is released from an atom through either:

• Nuclear fusion, when nuclei of atoms are combined or fused together. This is how the Sun produces energy.
• Nuclear fission, when nuclei of atoms are split apart. This is the method used by nuclear plants to generate electricity.

What is uranium?

Uranium is a radioactive element that was formed when the Earth was first created. It occurs naturally in certain types of rock.

Uranium is one of the few elements that is easily fissioned, so is used as fuel by nuclear power plants. Although uranium is found all over the world, it is still a non-renewable energy source.

When an atom splits into two parts, it releases energy. This process is known as fission.

What happens during nuclear fission in a nuclear plant?

A particular form of uranium – called uranium-235 – is most commonly used for energy production, as its nucleus splits easily when it is bombarded by a neutron.

Here's what happens during a nuclear fission reaction:

1. The nucleus of a uranium atom is bombarded by a neutron, causing it to split into two atoms
2. At the same time, energy is released as heat and radiation
3. As a result of the fission reaction, more neutrons are released
4. These neutrons then start bombarding other uranium atoms, so the process keeps repeating itself. This is called a chain reaction

What Do You Mean?

Follow the path uranium takes from a raw mined resource to becoming a fuel rod used to create electricity.

Nuclear energy is a non-renewable energy source that comes from the nucleus of atoms.

Nuclear fusion is when the nuclei of atoms are combined or fused together.

Nuclear fission is when the nuclei of atoms are split apart.

Nuclear power plants produce electricity by using nuclear fission.

Uranium is a naturally-occurring radioactive element found in rocks all over the world.

The uranium fuel cycle is the name given to the process of mining the uranium ore, using it in a nuclear reactor, then disposing of it.

Cool Facts

Nuclear energy is used in more than 30 countries around the world.

Cool Facts

Every 18-24 months, a nuclear power plant must shut down in order to dispose of its used uranium fuel, which becomes radioactive waste.

Speedy Summary

An international symbol of radiation.

Nuclear energy comes from the combining (fusion) or splitting apart (fission) of the nucleus of atoms. In nuclear power plants, the radioactive element uranium undergoes nuclear fission to produce electricity.

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1. Unpacking nuclear

Renewable energies are rightly considered an asset in the fight against climate change, as they only emit low levels of greenhouse gases. However, nuclear energy is also a low-carbon energy, as it emits 4 times less CO2 than solar power, 2 times less than hydroelectricity, and the same amount as wind power. So could nuclear power also be considered a renewable energy? It's a question worth asking.

What is a renewable energy?

A renewable energy is constantly renewed. It is considered inexhaustible over time. The sources of renewable energy – the sun, the earth and the wind – are certainly inexhaustible, but they are available intermittently.

In France, renewable energy accounted for 27% of electricity consumption in 2020 (source: RTE). Although this figure is a record high, it remains low. On February 10, 2022, President Macron announced that he intended to double the production of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and "increase it still further by 2050". The France 2030 plan will see 1 billion euros dedicated to innovation in renewable energy.

Five types of renewable energy

Wind energy: windmills, onshore and offshore wind farms 

Solar energy: photovoltaic, thermal or thermodynamic plants 

Hydroelectricity: dams, tidal energy, marine current turbines, etc. 

Biomass energy: combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, methanization 

Geothermal energy: extraction of energy from the ground 

Is nuclear power renewable? 

A stock energy

Nuclear energy is produced from uranium, which is a naturally radioactive ore. This abundant resource is found on all the continents, notably in the Americas (Canada, Brazil and the United States), Europe (Ukraine and Russia), Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China and Mongolia), Oceania (Australia) and Africa (Niger, Namibia and South Africa).

Although uranium is present in abundance on the planet, it is not inexhaustible. It is not reconstituted in the mines. This is why we talk about stock energy, as once this stock is exhausted, no more energy is available. 
However, uranium can be recycled and could therefore be included in a "recyclable energy" category if such a category existed (see below).

A low-carbon fissile energy 

Unlike fossil fuels (gas, coal and oil), which are sources of CO2, nuclear power is a low-carbon energy. It is considered a fissile energy, i.e. one that results from the fission of atoms within the nuclear reactor, which produces a powerful chain reaction that can be used to supply the power grid continuously. 

A recyclable energy 

Although nuclear power is not a renewable energy, it is still recyclable. Thanks to Orano’s technologies, unique in the world on an industrial scale, 96% of spent nuclear fuel in reactors is recyclable. MOX, an assembly produced from recycled spent fuel, has already been used to supply 44 reactors around the world.  In France, one in 10 light bulbs works thanks to recycled nuclear fuel. 

Nuclear + renewable energy = the ideal mix? 

In 2021, the IPCC published its new assessment report, RTE published six scenarios for achieving the target of carbon neutrality by 2050 and COP26 took place in Glasgow with around 200 States parties in attendance. The message is clear: to limit global warming to +1.5°C, we must divest from fossil fuels and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

The production of low-carbon energy is a strategic priority to face up to the climate emergency. Electricity production is currently the main source of CO2 worldwide, due to the use of fossil fuels (coal and gas), and global energy needs are going to double by 2050. Although renewable energy has numerous advantages, it cannot be the sole response to the existing and future energy needs of 8 billion humans on earth. 

Renewable sources of energy can only be an asset for the climate if they supplement a powerful, low-carbon and demand-responsive source of energy such as nuclear power. Opposing nuclear and renewable energies seems pointless; combining them in fact looks to be the most sensible way forward for the future.

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