4.3 What can be done?

1. 4.3 What can be done? What are the solutions to China’s ‘power’ problems?

2. What can be done to solve China’s ‘power’ problems? The following ways can help solve China’s ‘power’ problems: A Slow down the increase in the demand for power resources B Increase the supply C Ease the environmental problems D Attract foreign capital to develop the power industry

3. What can be done to solve China’s ‘power’ problems? A. Slow down the increase in the demand for power resources Here are two major ways to achieve this goal. How can they help in slowing down the increasing in demand? Factories and power plants are two big consumers of energy. If they can use energy in a more efficient way, more power resources can be saved. This will increase the energy prices. People will use power resources in a more economical way.

4. What can be done to solve China’s ‘power’ problems? Huge reserves found underground in the north-west According to the Chinese government, huge reserves of power resources in the north-west have not yet been exploited: 1 coal reserve of 300,900 million tonnes (about 30% of the national total); 2 oil reserve reaches 510 million tonnes (about 23% of the total national ground reserve); 3 natural gas reserve of over 400,000 cubic metres (nearly 60% of total national ground reserve). What can we do with these reserves? B. Increase the supply

5. What can be done to solve China’s ‘power’ problems? Wind power Solar power Wave and tidal power HEP Geothermal power B. Increase the supply We can also develop renewable power resources in order to increase energy supply, such as: Limitations of using alternative power resources Renewable power resources in China

6. What can be done to solve China’s ‘power’ problems? Developing renewable power resources More efficient use of power C. Ease the environmental problems The measures mentioned before help to ease the environmental problems: Reduce China’s reliance on coal, thus improve China’s air quality Cut down the actual amount of power resources used

7. What can be done to solve China’s ‘power’ problems? The Yacheng 13-1 gas field off Hainan in China is jointly exploited by China and international companies. Since 1995 China has exported the natural gas produced from this gas field to Hong Kong through a submarine pipeline. How do foreign companies help in developing the power industry in China? D. Attracting foreign capital to develop the power industry

8. B. Increase the supply Distribution of renewable power resources in China

9. What can be done to solve China’s ‘power’ problems? Technical problem Not all places are suitable for building solar, wind, HEP and geothermal power plants. Environmental problem Wind farms produce noise pollution; building HEP plants results in flooding of the surrounding areas. Economical problem Huge investment in capital and technology is needed for developing renewable power resources. $ $ B. Increase the supply What are the limitations of using alternative power resources?

10. Unit 4.3 The End

11. Two accidents occurred within three days this week in a nuclear power plant in Japan. A small amount of radioactive oil leaked, but the leakage is now under control. July Series of nuclear accidents raised doubts in using nuclear power... 4.4 Is nuclear power a possible way out?

12. A. Is nuclear power a good source of energy? What is nuclear power? - Nuclear power is the energy produced by splitting uranium atoms. - Enormous amount of energy is used to heat the water in the power plant. - The water turns into steam to generate electricity.

13. A. Is nuclear power a good source of energy? Nuclear Global warming Coal Acid rain Other pollutants CO2 What are the advantages of nuclear power? Nuclear power plants produce very little environmental pollution if they are run properly. Nuclear power VS Coal-fired power Only a small amount of uranium is needed No smokestacks; no pollutants Heaps of ash from coal burning Radioactive wastes A large amount of coal is needed. Opencast mining of coal causes land destruction Can you spot the different effects caused by these two types of power on the environment?

14. A. Is nuclear power a good source of energy? Radiation Radiation What are the disadvantages of nuclear power? 1 Risk of accidents Uranium is a radioactive element. Radiation is harmful to plants, animals and people. Radioactive elements can be spread by wind and affect living things far away. Moreover, the damage may last for many years.

15. A. Is nuclear power a good source of energy? Would you like to live near a nuclear power plant or disposal sites of radioactive wastes? What are the disadvantages of nuclear power? 2 Problem of waste disposal Nuclear power also produce dangerous radioactive waste. There is no safe way of disposing of such waste.

16. A. Is nuclear power a good source of energy? What are the disadvantages of nuclear power? 3 High cost The high cost of developing nuclear power plants include: 1 high construction cost; 4 the increasing costs caused by increasing safety standards for the construction and operation of nuclear power plants. 2 high cleanup and repair costs; 3 high demolition cost of a closed power plant;

17. A. Is nuclear power a good source of energy? Hot water affects the aquatic life What are the disadvantages of nuclear power? 4 Thermal pollution The hot water, which is passed from nuclear power plants into nearby rivers or seas, may cause thermal pollution. Aquatic life will be affected.

18. B. Should China develop nuclear power? Economic viewpoint Environmentalviewpoint China is facing a number of ‘power’ problems. Develop nuclear power is one of the ways to solve the problem. However, we have to consider the following points: If you were a government official, what would your decision be?

19. B. Should China develop nuclear power? Distribution of nuclear power plants in China

20. Unit 4.4 The End