For more than 40 years, nuclear energy has been an important contributor in several countries to energy security and a key source of zero-emissions generation. But the future of nuclear energy is facing growing challenges, increased competition with renewables and gas and, in some cases, public opposition. With the aim of identifying the key issues and exploring the future of nuclear power, the International Energy Agency (IEA) held a high-level meeting in Paris yesterday titled “Nuclear Energy: Today and Tomorrow.” The sessions highlighted how, under current policy frameworks, and with limited investment in new plants, the contribution of nuclear to the power mix in mature markets is set to decline significantly. Most new construction is in Asia, with China and India accounting for over half of the new reactors under construction. In IEA’s World Energy Outlook New Policies Scenario, nuclear power production grows with two countries, China and India, responsible for over 90 percent of net growth to 2040. By contrast, outside of Japan, nuclear power generation in developed economies is set to decline 20 percent by 2040. The meeting also heard about new initiatives to advance innovative nuclear power technologies, including those that can address better the need for greater power systems flexibility, spurred by the rise of generation from variable renewables.
Modern Diplomacy 29th June 2018 read more »
