It could be the end of fossil fuels as the renewable fuel, and nuclear energy is looking to take over. Renewable plants are shooting up, but unlike others, not on the land but out at sea. The two countries building the largest plants are Scotland with a floating wind farm and Japan with the largest floating solar farm. China has now brought itself into the mix as they are arranging to construct up to 20 nuclear power stations that will float in the South China Sea.
Tech Xplore states that plans in China are civilian in nature according to the government, and the intention is to provide a stream of nuclear power for projects offshore. Airstrips are in place in the sea, so it is possible to send the power to aid military construction efforts. Director of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation has said that nuclear power is a growing trend, and so is the building of platforms to produce it.
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There are other plans for the power plant, and this is a source of energy for desalinization plants and oilfield exploration rigs that are based offshore. The advantage of nuclear over renewable energy is that the weather does not affect the production of nuclear power.
The schemes are not without controversy and a major one surround the ownership of the areas being used. Countries surrounding the plants believe that China should not use some of the lands and are just trying to reclaim parts of the South China Sea. It is expected that the problems will increase rather than subside.