Glossary
Nacelle
**Nacelle** refers to a streamlined housing or structure that encases essential components and systems, typically found in applications such as wind turbines, aircraft, and marine vessels. In the context of wind turbines, the nacelle is a critical component that sits atop the tower, housing the...
Natural Capital
**Natural Capital** refers to the world's stock of natural resources, which includes geology, soil, air, water, and all living organisms. It represents the planet's ability to provide ecosystem services that benefit humanity and underpin our economy. These services include essential functions...
Negative Emissions Technologies (NETs)
**Negative Emissions Technologies (NETs)** are innovative solutions designed to actively remove carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, helping to reverse the effects of climate change. These technologies go beyond merely reducing emissions—they work to pull excess...
Net Metering
**Net Metering** is a billing mechanism that allows residential and commercial customers who generate their own electricity using renewable energy sources, such as solar panels or wind turbines, to feed surplus energy back into the grid. When these customer-generators produce more electricity...
Net Zero
**Net zero** refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere and the amount removed or offset. Achieving net zero means that any residual emissions are balanced by equivalent removals through natural or technological means, resulting in no net increase in...
Net Zero Emissions
**Net Zero Emissions** refers to achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere and the amount removed from it. This equilibrium ensures that activities such as industry, transportation, and agriculture contribute no net increase in global greenhouse gas...
Neutron Moderator
A **Neutron Moderator** is a crucial component in nuclear reactors, designed to slow down fast neutrons produced during the fission process. By reducing the kinetic energy of these fast neutrons, a neutron moderator increases the likelihood of further nuclear reactions by converting fast neutrons...
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
**Nitrous Oxide (N2O)**, commonly known as laughing gas, is a colorless, odorless greenhouse gas that is nearly 300 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO2). It is recognized for its significant role in both the agricultural and medical sectors. In...
Nuclear Chain Reaction
**Nuclear Chain Reaction** is a self-sustaining sequence of nuclear fission reactions where the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts, releasing a significant amount of energy. This process begins when a fissile material, such as Uranium-235 or Plutonium-239, absorbs a neutron....
Nuclear Decommissioning
**Nuclear Decommissioning** refers to the safe and systematic process of dismantling a nuclear power plant or nuclear facility, ensuring the removal or reduction of radioactive materials to levels that permit the release of the property and the termination of its license. This process is crucial...
Nuclear Energy Policy
**Nuclear Energy Policy** refers to the framework of laws, regulations, and guidelines set by governments or international bodies to oversee the development, utilization, and management of nuclear energy technologies. This policy encompasses a broad range of subjects, including the construction...
Nuclear Fission
**Nuclear Fission** is a process in which the nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei, along with a few neutrons and a significant amount of energy. This reaction is fundamental to nuclear power generation and atomic weapons. When a heavy nucleus, such as that of uranium-235 or...
Nuclear Fuel Cycle
The **Nuclear Fuel Cycle** refers to the series of industrial processes which involve the production of electricity from uranium in nuclear power reactors. It encompasses everything from the mining of uranium, its enrichment, and fabrication into nuclear fuel, to its eventual disposal or...
Nuclear Fusion
**Nuclear Fusion** is the process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a substantial amount of energy in the process. This reaction occurs at extremely high temperatures and pressures, conditions typically found in the cores of stars, including our sun....
Nuclear Meltdown
**Nuclear Meltdown** refers to a severe nuclear reactor accident that results in core damage from overheating. This catastrophic event can occur when the cooling systems designed to sustain the reactor's temperature fail, leading to the melting of the nuclear fuel assemblies. During a nuclear...
Nuclear Power Plant Lifecycle
The **Nuclear Power Plant Lifecycle** refers to the comprehensive sequence of stages that a nuclear power plant undergoes from its initial concept and design to its ultimate decommissioning and site remediation. This lifecycle encompasses several critical phases, each with specific operational,...
Nuclear Proliferation
**Nuclear Proliferation** refers to the spread of nuclear weapons, fissionable material, and weapons-related nuclear technology to states that are not recognized as "Nuclear Weapon States" by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Essentially, it involves the increase in...
Nuclear Reactor
**Nuclear Reactor** A **Nuclear Reactor** is a sophisticated device engineered to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Unlike fossil fuel-based power plants, nuclear reactors harness the energy released from splitting atomic nuclei, typically of uranium or plutonium isotopes,...
Nuclear Reactor Coolant
**Nuclear Reactor Coolant** is a crucial component in the operation and safety of nuclear reactors. It serves the essential function of transferring heat away from the reactor core, where nuclear fission takes place, to either a steam generator or directly to turbines that generate electricity....
Nuclear Reactor Core
The **Nuclear Reactor Core** is the critical component within a nuclear reactor where nuclear fission takes place. It is composed of nuclear fuel, usually in the form of enriched uranium or plutonium, encased in fuel rods and arranged in a precise geometric pattern to maintain a sustained nuclear...
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
**Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)** is an independent agency of the United States government established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974. Its primary mission is to ensure the safe use of radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while protecting people and the...
Nuclear Reprocessing
**Nuclear Reprocessing** is an advanced technique for treating spent nuclear fuel to extract usable materials and reduce radioactive waste. When nuclear fuel is used in a reactor, it generates energy but also accumulates fission products and transuranic elements, making it less efficient for...
Nuclear Safety Standards
**Nuclear Safety Standards** refer to a comprehensive set of regulations, guidelines, and best practices established to ensure the safe management and operation of nuclear facilities. These standards are designed to protect both people and the environment from the potential hazards associated...
Nuclear Waste Management
**Nuclear Waste Management** refers to the systematic process of handling, treating, and disposing of radioactive waste materials generated from nuclear reactors, medical treatments, research activities, and other applications of nuclear technology. This multifaceted process aims to minimize the...