Does nuclear energy have a role in the clean energy future of our country? Currently, nuclear production accounts for 797.1 billion kilowatt hours annually, or 19.5 percent of total generation in the United States, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute. About 30 percent of all the nuclear power in the world is generated in the U.S. by 99 power reactors in 30 states, the World Nuclear Association reports. That number could grow or fall in future years, depending on a variety of factors. Read on to learn more.

Clean Power Opportunities

Nuclear power is far less harmful to the environment than burning coal or natural gas, most notably in its relatively negligible contribution to air pollution and climate change, according to NASA. If we want to make dramatic cuts to emissions, nuclear can be a major player along with wind and solar generation.

Despite its promise, nuclear power fell out of favor in the United States for decades, following the Three Mile Island accident in 1977 and cheap natural gas prices making nuclear less competitive for powering the country's electrical work. The World Nuclear Association does expect six new plants to be completed in the country by 2020, however. That number could rise in future years, depending on several variables including natural gas prices, public sentiment, technological advances and progress toward meeting emission reduction goals.

The Challenges Posed by Nuclear Energy

However, nuclear generation is not a panacea for our electrical work, and it does pose two large problems. The first is what to do with spent nuclear fuel, which can remain dangerous to humans for millennia. Currently, spent fuel is usually stored on-site at generating plants after it is used, but the country has still not figured out an effective long term solution.

The other big caveat when it comes to nuclear energy is the capacity for disaster. On a day-to-day basis, nuclear plants are far less harmful to humans and the environment than coal, but in the event of a meltdown or other malfunction, the damage can be catastrophic. Look no further than the ongoing health and environmental problems that stemmed from the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan to see the consequences when nuclear power goes wrong.

The Cloudy Future of the Nation's Electrical Work

For now, there is no firm answer to what the future of nuclear energy is in the United States. The industry could grow into a larger piece of the nation's clean energy future, or it could end up phased out entirely if there is another major accident, or if renewable sources continue to grow in market share and effectiveness.

If you have any questions about where your electricity comes from, or need any electrical work performed in your home, call a residential electrician today.

Winter is in full swing in Australia, which also means you’re likely spending much more time in your hot tub. If you don’t currently have a hot tub, and are considering getting one installed in the near future, there are certain aspects to consider before buying one.

We all are aware that water and electricity just don’t mix; and so, sticking to the appropriate electrical and safety protocol with hot tub installations and their maintenance is something you can’t afford to overlook. Here are a few hot tub electrical requirements and safety tips to follow:

Even if you are a DIY enthusiast, installing a new hot tub is a completely different animal. Wiring of hot tubs isn’t an easy task and is distinctly more complicated and involved than setting up some other standard home appliances. Consulting an experienced and licensed local electrician will often save you a significant amount of time, money, trouble or even a trip to a hospital.

An electrician will make sure the electrical wiring and fixtures required for the hot tub are installed well and that helps avoid costly mistakes like ones that can occur in skilled and licensed electrician will make sure that the installation and wiring is in line with the existing codes.

Before installing your hot tub, it’s vital to consider its location. Not only will you need room for the actual hot tub but extra room to get into and out of it. The feature should be at least 10′ away from any type of overhead power lines and a minimum of 5′ away from removed spa panels. It’s also necessary to consider how the hot tub will connect to the power source.

Museums have a hard line to walk, exhibiting items for public education and enjoyment while protecting those same collections from damage. Today’s museum also carry the additional weight of safeguarding the future of the environment – as well as their financial future – against the dangers of unnecessary energy consumption. What advancements have been made in preservation lighting technology to help accomplish these goals?

Light, including all three types: ultraviolet (UV), infrared, and visible light, causes permanent and irreversible damage to museum pieces. Cumulative and dependent on the intensity and duration of exposure, light affects chemical composition, physical structure, and, the appearance of a collection. There is no conservation treatment that can repair it. Light damage is forever.

Only complete darkness ensures conservation, since exposure to light in any form naturally breaks down items. However, keeping pieces locked away in the dark defeats the mission of the museum – sharing those works with the public. It is thus a museum’s dilemma to find a suitable solution that balances the best of both worlds, in addition to considering energy costs and the environmental impact of its lighting selection.  

In your search for preservation lighting, you will find that a great deal of lighting solutions involve UV (ultraviolet light), the most energetic and destructive form of light. These include natural light, fluorescents, HID, and tungsten halogen lighting. Fortunately, the effects of UV can be controlled with simple filters, offering a greater variety of lighting options. UV filters are hard plastic tubes or soft sleeves wrapped around bulbs/light sources, which filter and block up to 98 percent of UV light, preventing its damaging effects. NOTE: UV filters lose efficiency over time and must be replaced every eight-10 years.

Specific, detailed recommendations for preservation lighting levels based on your collection type can be found from various sources, including the Library of Congress, National Park Service, UNESCO, and more.

If you are planning on renovating or sprucing-up your kitchen, it’s probably a good idea to map out a detailed lighting plan as well. Most people find this a little strange as they feel that lighting in a kitchen isn’t something that needs too much of consideration or planning. It’s just a place where you cook and probably where you have an informal meal after all.

However, the fact is that it’s important to plan kitchen illumination well if you want to make optimal use of your kitchen spaces. Here, we would like to share some basic lighting ideas to create the right balance of functionality and aesthetics.

If you want to get a better idea about what type of lighting would work best for your kitchen, it’s vital to understand how your kitchen spaces relate to the different type of lighting. Let’s start off with understanding what type of bulbs you can use for the best effects:

These bulbs emit a yellowish light and you will now find many artistic versions of these on the market today.

These bulbs throw off a flat, cold light that has a bluish tinge, which lends a very harsh effect to the room.

These have a warm light that makes the place look very inviting and comfortable

These are the latest in light bulb technology and are available in a range of effects including white, cool daylight, warm light, yellow and a range of other colours and hues. Aside from this, LED bulbs are also 80% more energy-efficient than standard bulbs; and most property owners are now opting for these fixtures.

In addition to the types of bulbs used, the style of lighting or the lighting effects are what impact the ambience and appearance of a room. With this in view, here we discuss the different lighting effects that can be used in your kitchen:

This is one of the simplest ways to create the right lighting effect in your kitchen. This type of lighting is designed to help you move comfortably around the room. In most instances this type of lighting comes from grid-style can lighting, widely-spaced, wall and ceiling lamps, semi-translucent skylights or even the natural light that streams in through glass windows and doors. This is the base layer of any lighting plan.

In your kitchen, task lighting would be required to illuminate kitchen counters and food preparation spaces. Since you will be cooking in your kitchen every day, it’s important that the task lighting be planned and installed well. If you have only recessed lighting fixtures in your kitchen, you will feel the lack of focused light when you are cleaning, cooking or prepping in that space.

If you install one-dimensional lighting in the kitchen, it creates unsightly shadows in different areas of the room, while ceiling lighting is ineffective in illuminating spaces like sinks, under counter or cabinet areas etc. On the other hand, if you add special pendant lamps over the counters or even your kitchen island it can prove to be a more practical solution. Under-cabinet lighting can also help in illuminating the cabinets that are positioned there.

This effect doesn’t seem as necessary as ambient or task lighting does in a kitchen space, as the illumination it provides isn’t as functional as the first two. However, it can have a significant impact on the way your kitchen spaces look. If you want to enhance the appeal of your kitchen (regardless of whether you are getting it entirely renovated or are opting for a lighting upgrade), it’s important that you plan your accent lighting well.

For more information, contact the friendly team at AllRound Electrical at this number – 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address.You can also write to us at this email address.

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