Kategori : ELECTRICITY ENERGY NEWS, ENERGY AGENDA NEWS, NUCLEAR ENERGY NEWS - Tarih : 26 September 2021
It has been announced by the experts of the United Nations European Economic Council (UNECE) that it is not possible to reach the global climate targets without nuclear energy. In UNECE’s newly released technology summary report, it was pointed out that nuclear energy can help meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Nuclear could be seen as part of a broader spectrum alongside the use of other sustainable low-carbon or zero-carbon technologies to decarbonize the global energy system and energy-intensive industries.
The report, which is one of a series of energy technology summaries published by UNECE to help mitigate the effects of climate change and accelerate the spread of low-carbon technologies, noted that decisions to shut down nuclear power plants represent setbacks for efforts to mitigate climate change. The report also highlighted the importance of securing the long-term operation of existing nuclear power plants.
“Nuclear energy is an important source of low-carbon electricity and heat that can contribute to achieving carbon neutrality for countries that choose to implement this technology, thereby helping to mitigate climate change and achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” UNECE Secretary-General Olga Algayerova said in a statement. .
Options of reactor technologies
In the report, where it was explained that nuclear reactor technology consists of 3 classes: large gigawatt-scale reactors, small modular reactors (Small Modular Reactors – SMR) and micro reactors, it was underlined that large reactors are well-established technologies that are commercially available today. Small modular reactors have designs that are fast approaching commercial distribution, and a facility operating in this direction on Russia’s northern coast supplies heat and electricity to people at long distances. Some micro-reactor designs are expected to take place in vendor countries such as the USA and Canada in the next 5 years.
Nuclear is a competitive option
In the said technology brief, it was emphasized that nuclear energy is a competitive option and said, “Nuclear energy offers a competitive option in terms of electricity generation in many parts of the world in terms of cost index. Thanks to low-cost financing and market structure, the burden of high up-front capital costs ranging from 5-10 billion US dollars for large nuclear power plants can be reduced. The small scale “micro-reactors” and small modular reactors of the future will be easier to finance and support the technology interaction with variable renewable energy.
While it was stated that nuclear energy has the potential to increase the integration of other low-carbon energy sources in the decarbonized energy systems of the future, the need for countries using nuclear power to work together was also emphasized.
