In 1979 there was a nuclear accident near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. No one was killed, radiation did not escape the plant, however, the reactor suffered a partial meltdown of the fuel rods, creating fears of a "China Syndrome"(2) disaster. This fear was exacerbated by the movie "China Syndrome" that was coincidentally making the theater circuits.

Leaking water severely damaged the nuclear fuel core in a reactor, which caused radioactive gas to be released in the Three Mile Island Nuclear power plant. O

(3) The sievert is a semi-empirical measure of the biological destructiveness of various forms of ionizing radiation, whose definition is rather involved and beyond the scope of this paper. The Encyclopedia Britannica defines the sievert as:

Nuclear energy is a risk that people are not willing to take. Three Mile Island was contained, Chernobyl killed thousands and Tokia but many lives in danger. The environment has been critically effected by the use of coal, oil, natural gas, methane, and biomass, but they are all fairly inexpensive. The use of geothermal is too dangerous for Japan. Wind is not very practical and it is very expensive. Solar energy is the least polluting of all known energy sources. It is expensive, but there is a lot of research and support for solar power. Today we are just beginning to touch its potential. It could very well become the energy source of the future.

Solar energy can be used in two ways: A solar thermal system convert solar energy into heat (a solar trough is an example of this), and a solar electric system converts the solar energy immediately into electricity. This is done when sunlight strikes the panels, causing electron movement between different types of materials within them producing electricity. On average, each kW of installed PV capacity can generate 150 kWh of electricity each month. Technology needs to create a more efficient way to collect solar power to make solar power more effective. This is what Japan is doing; they are spending more money on alternative energy studies than any other country. Hence, where there is a will, there is a way. Yasuo Kishi, now Managing Director of Sanyo Solar Industries and inventor of the solar powered calculator, "envisions an explosion in solar power over the next ten years as countries the world over battle rising greenhouse gas emissions in the 21st century" (www.eusa.ed.ac.uk).

Japan uses a lot of electrical power. Statistics from1993 show that Japan demanded 839.8 billion-kilowatt hours of electricity per year. 60% of that electricity came from fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), that were all imported. Nuclear power plants produced 28% of the electricity. 11% of Japan's electricity was produced with hydroelectric energy and 1% by other forms of energy. Nuclear fission is the cheapest and cleanest form of energy to generate electricity. When something goes wrong with nuclear fission there are dramatic results.

(4) The reprocessing of "spent" nuclear fuel rods is an indispensable part of any nuclear reactor, and so must be considered as an integral unavoidable component of the reactor.

Japan has six practical options to consider using if they want to reduce or replace nuclear power. The fossil fuels, oil and coal have many drawbacks. They have a high fatality rate and are harmful to the environment. When burned, coal releases carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide contributes to the "green house effect". Sulfur dioxide and Nitrogen oxide are responsible for acid rain. Acid rain causes major damage to the environment. The mining also leaves the land inhabitable for plant and animal life. Oil has similar effects on the environment. The same gases are given off with the same effects. When oil is shipped across the oceans oil spills can occur. Wildlife gets caught in the oil and is unable to live. It is also has a limited supply. Both energy sources will run out as soon as their deposits are depleted. If all the oil reserves have been located, we have very little oil left. Coal

Some common words found in the essay are:
RESOLUTION JAPAN, Japan Yes, Ukraine Chernobyl, Integrated PV, Japan Incredibly, Measurements ICRU, China Syndrome, Bright Japan, Mile Island, Japan Wind, nuclear power, energy source, mile island, solar energy, solar power, power plant, nuclear power plant, fuel reprocessing, natural gas, nuclear accidents, carbon dioxide, green house effect, mile island nuclear, carbon dioxide contributes, plant life biomass,
Approximate Word count = 2421
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)