What is nuclear power uprating and why is it important? Nuclear power in the US has steadily contributed 19% of electricity since 1990, mainly through uprates. These uprates, approved by the NRC, have boosted capacity by 24,080 MWt or 8030 MWe, equivalent ...

An important boost for #NuclearPower comes through the “uprating” of existing plants. Uprating generally involves physically modifying a plant to increase its generating capacity, @cutlercleveland.bsky.social writes for #VisualizingEnergy: visualizingenergy.org/what-is-nucl...

Global nuclear power capacity additions Nuclear power plants have a nameplate capacity of about 390 gigawatts and supply 10% of the world’s electricity. The United States, Russia, France, Japan, South Korea, and China account for 71% of glo...

71% of the world’s #NuclearGeneration is concentrated in the US, Russia, France, Japan, South Korea, and China. 🌎⚡ While most new additions are built in Asia, this has not always been the case. More from @cutlercleveland.bsky.social: visualizingenergy.org/global-nucle... #VisualizingEnergy

The price of power in the United Kingdom, 1300-2000 The historical energy transitions showcased significant advancements in energy converters, improving power output and efficiency, which spurred population and economic growth. Roger Fouquet’s analysis...

In the UK, dramatic declines in the cost of #power occurred when the price of #energy was declining and #efficiency conversion was increasing. @cutlercleveland.bsky.social tracks power prices in the UK from 1300-2000 in the latest #VisualizingEnergy data story: visualizingenergy.org/the-price-of...

Global anthropogenic carbon monoxide emissions, 1750-2022 Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic, colorless gas from incomplete combustion of fuels, leading to potential health hazards like headaches and confusion. Residential sources produce significant CO emissions, impacting 2.4 billion people reliant on biomass. Globally, emissions peaked in 1989, but have since declined due to regulations and technological advancements in combustion efficiency.

2.4 billion people worldwide lack access to clean cooking fuels. Use of biomass for cooking can generate carbon monoxide (CO). Learn more about CO and human health in this week’s #VisualizingEnergy #data story by @cutlercleveland.bsky.social: http://spr.ly/633272t6CX

Is the reserve-to-production ratio for fossil fuels a meaningful indicator? The reserve-to-production (R/P) ratio calculates the lifespan of fossil fuel reserves based on production rates. In the U.S., regulatory frameworks affect reserve reporting, with oil R/P ratios declin...

The reserve-to-production (R/P) ratio calculates #FossilFuel lifespans based on production. R/P ratios help understand historical trends, but not necessarily predict future availability. Read this week's #VisualizingEnergy story by @cutlercleveland.bsky.social: visualizingenergy.org/is-the-reser...

Global anthropogenic nitrogen dioxide emissions, 1750-2022 NOx, comprising nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, significantly impacts air pollution and health, causing respiratory issues and contributing to harmful pollutants. Mainly emitted from transportation and industrial activities, NOx levels vary globally. Efforts to reduce emissions include regulatory policies and technology advancements, along with a shift towards cleaner energy sources.

Just 7 countries account for half of all anthropogenic nitrogen oxide emissions since 1750. NOx emissions can harm #AirQuality and #RespiratoryHealth. More in this week’s #VisualizingEnergy data story by @cutlercleveland.bsky.social

Global anthropogenic sulfur dioxide emissions, 1750-2022 Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is a major air pollutant produced from burning sulfur-containing fuels. It poses health risks, including respiratory issues and links to heart disease, while harming the environment by contributing to acid rain. Emissions have significantly decreased due to regulations and technology, but global reliance on fossil fuels continues to impact levels.

#SulfurDioxide from burning #FossilFuels harms respiratory health and the #environment. Coal combustion causes 50% of SO2 emissions today. Crude oil fuels contribute 25%. More in this week’s #VisualizingEnergy data story: http://spr.ly/63320Fwkrg

What happens to low level nuclear waste in the United States? Low-level radioactive nuclear waste (LLW) is produced by various commercial operations and the U.S. Department of Energy. It includes contaminated materials like clothes, tools, and medical supplies. LLW is typically stored on-site until it decays or is shipped to disposal sites, regulated under the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980.

@cutlercleveland.bsky.social explains how low-level radioactive waste is stored on-site until it decays or is shipped to #nuclear waste facilities in WA, UT, TX, SC & elsewhere. More on nuclear waste storage and safety in this #VisualizingEnergy story: http://spr.ly/6332104OgV

Sankey diagrams for national energy systems In 1898, H. Riall Sankey developed a diagram illustrating steam engine efficiency, leading to the widespread use of Sankey diagrams for visualizing energy flows in various systems. They effectively display energy extraction, transformation, consumption, and losses while mapping the roles of primary and secondary energy sources across different usage sectors.

In this week’s #VisualizingEnergy data story, @cutlercleveland.bsky.social shares 8 tips to understand Sankey diagrams as an effective tool to characterize energy flows in #EnergySystems. 13 interactive visualizations:
http://spr.ly/6332105mFX

Non-energy uses of fossil fuels Fossil fuels serve non-energy purposes, comprising about eight percent of global consumption. Their use has doubled since 1990, driven by demand for products like plastics and chemicals. Non-energy uses include asphalt, petrochemical feedstocks, lubricants, and fertilizers, contributing to rising carbon dioxide emissions, a concern for climate change mitigation.

About 8% of #fossilfuels used worldwide are for non-energy purposes, including for plastic and chemical products. More in this week’s #VisualizingEnergy data story by @cutlercleveland.bsky.social
http://spr.ly/63320LQvdI

Global natural gas flaring, 2012-2023 Crude oil and natural gas often coexist in reservoirs, leading to natural gas flaring when oil is extracted. This process not only wastes energy but also contributes significantly to global methane em...

Natural gas flares waste energy and contribute to global methane emissions. Nine countries accounted for three-quarters of gas flaring and about 60% of the world’s oil production in 2023, per this #VisualizingEnergy data story by @cutlercleveland.bsky.social:
visualizingenergy.org/natural-gas-...

Peak shaving facilities in the United States A peak shaving facility is an energy system that balances fuel demand fluctuations, particularly for natural gas during peak usage times. It stores liquefied natural gas (LNG) at low demand and releas...

Peak shaving facilities help to balance #fuel demands. #NaturalGas is stored when demand is low and released as fuel when demand is high, “shaving” the peak demand to prevent shortages and price spikes. Learn more in this week’s #VisualizingEnergy data story:
visualizingenergy.org/peak-shaving...

Figure of communication intensity and energy intensity of the world economy, 1850-2019

What does digitalization mean for energy use & the global economy? This week's #VisualizingEnergy data story looks at the complex relationship between digitalization, energy use & communication in the global economy: http://spr.ly/63321IKl6S