The key role of nuclear energy in achieving a low-carbon future

Virginia Commonwealth University discusses the importance of nuclear energy in achieving environmental and climate goals.

VCU has the opportunity to attend a webinar for the DOE Nuclear Commercial Lift-Off, with a general summary.

First Key: Understanding the Power of Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Energy is the US clean powerhouse. It currently supplies about 20% of the country’s electricity and a whopping 45% of the electricity that does not contain carbon.

This is thanks to a fleet of 94 nuclear reactors at 54 sites.

Unlike the sun and wind that come in and out according to the weather, nuclear power is always on, providing stable electricity for the baseload, and the grid is needed to steadyly meet peak demands.

Second key: Meet small but powerful SMRs

Enter the next-generation nuclear power generation small modular reactor (SMRS). With a capacity of 50-350 MW, SMR is perfect for replacing old coal plants or opening new sites that cannot handle large reactors.

Certainly, they may be a little more expensive per MW than their large cousins, but SMR offers flexibility and scalability.

Plus, their compact size and built-in safety features make them perfect for anything, from powering small towns to providing heat for industrial processes.

Third Key: Look beyond LCOE

Power leveling cost (LCOE) is a go-to metric for comparing power sources, but it’s not a given for nuclear energy. Nuclear power plants have been divided into LCOEs for over 40-60 years. This means that in the long term, costs per megawatt hour will be reduced. And don’t forget that the ever-available generation of nuclear power is key to meeting these peak demand periods facing the grid.

Nuclear energy can even provide the reliable carbon-free steam industry needed to carry out a particular process. Think about cement, chemicals and oil extraction. Nuclear power could be the clean energy solution they’ve been waiting for.

Oh, and the advantages of nuclear air quality? They are huge. Switching from fossil fuels to nuclear can kill thousands of air pollution every gigawatt year.

Fourth Key: A Success Story of Nuclear Energy from Vogtle

The Georgia Vogtle project is currently the largest clean energy site in the United States, but its costs are not the standard for nuclear. The AP1000 design used by Vogtle has been proven, the supply chain has been established, and the builders have gained invaluable experience.

Future AP1000 projects will benefit from better construction methods, mass-produced components, and lessons learned in Vogtle. All this means that the AP1000 will become a competitive option for clean baseload power.

Conclusion

Nuclear energy is a clean, reliable and powerful force in the US energy mix. As technology advances and the lessons learned from past projects are applied, the possibilities will only grow.

It’s time to embrace nuclear as a key player in a low-carbon future.

Increased demand for nuclear power

The demand for clean, solid energy will only be strengthened in the next few decades. To reach net-zero emissions by 2050, the US will need to add at least 700-900 GW of such capacity.

Nuclear power helps to minimize the need for additional variable generation, energy storage and transmission infrastructure and save billions of dollars in capital expenditures. A diverse portfolio with both variable renewable energy and corporate nuclear power can balance output and ensure reliable power supply (see Figure 1).

The US has joined more than 20 countries to acquire triple nuclear power capabilities by 2050, recognizing its important role in achieving global climate targets. This international consensus highlights the importance of nuclear energy in limiting warming to 1.5°C and avoiding the worst effects of climate change.

Nuclear Value Proposal

Nuclear energy offers a unique combination of profits. It is clean, solid, land efficient, minimizes transmission needs, has a great economic impact and supports critical industrial applications.

Other energy sources do not match this value proposition. Nuclear power can grow the economy, create well-paid jobs and stimulate local development while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Nuclear is an essential tool for states and regions seeking to decarbonise their energy mix.

Safety and Waste Management

As shown in Figure 2, nuclear energy is the most carbon-intensive source of all, with over 50 years of operational experience and hundreds of millions of miles traveled by naval propulsion programs, demonstrating safety records comparable to solar and wind safety records, as shown in Figure 3.

Next-generation designs already incorporate passive cooling and other features that further enhance the substantial safety margin. These advanced reactors can cool themselves for long periods of time without electricity, eliminating the risk of Fukushima-style accidents.

Spent nuclear fuel can be managed safely and safely. The 50-year-old factory waste has been placed on basketball courts, with robust dry barrel storage systems being used at facilities around the country.

Permanent storage is a political challenge, but it is no longer an engineering issue. The US Department of Defense has long-term storage facilities that receive nuclear waste from all over the country. Finland recently opened a permanent storage location for commercial waste.

Nuclear power prevents unregulated, unsurveillanced release of non-radioactive materials from fossil fuel extraction and use, so the inability to utilize nuclear energy will increase environmental radioactivity.

By choosing nuclear energy over fossil fuels, we can reduce our environmental footprint and create a cleaner and healthier world for future generations.