WATCH: Arizona Students Reconsider Nuclear After Seeing Data
By
Emma Arns
|
June 5th, 2026
College students hear constant calls for clean energy via solar panels and wind turbines, but far fewer have ever been challenged to consider where nuclear energy fits into the conversation. At the University of Arizona, CFACT Collegian Elliott Taylor set out to test students’ assumptions with a simple question and a surprising piece of data.
Elliott began by asking students what they believed was the most reliable low-carbon source of energy. The answers came quickly and confidently. Nearly two-thirds of the students interviewed selected solar power as their top choice. Others suggested wind, hydropower, and even wastewater treatment may also be the best option. Only one student suggested nuclear energy, though he added that it may be controversial.
Like many young Americans, the students’ responses reflected the energy narrative they have heard most often. Renewable sources such as solar and wind are frequently presented as the clean energy technologies of the future, while nuclear power is often discussed negatively, through the lens of accidents, radiation, and waste disposal.
Then Elliott introduced a graph from the U.S. Department of Energy comparing the capacity factor of major energy sources. The chart revealed that nuclear energy operates at a capacity factor of more than 92 percent, making it by far the most reliable source of electricity generation. Surprising to many students, solar and wind ranked near the bottom because they depend solely on weather conditions and time of day. The data also challenged assumptions about emissions, showing that nuclear energy remains one of the lowest-carbon sources of power available.
The reactions were immediate.
https://www.cfact.org/2026/06/05/watch-arizona-students-reconsider-nuclear-after-seeing-data/
