Source: iea
The Path to a New Era for Nuclear Energy is a new report by the International Energy Agency that looks at the opportunities for nuclear energy to address energy security and climate concerns – and at critical elements needed to pursue these opportunities, including policies, innovation and financing. Nuclear energy is a well-established technology that has provided electricity and heat to consumers for well over 50 years but has faced a number of challenges in recent years. However, nuclear energy is making a strong comeback, with rising investment, new technology advances and supportive policies in over 40 countries. Electricity demand is projected to grow strongly over the next decades, including from data centres, further underpinning the importance of having sufficient new sources of stable low-emissions electricity.
Despite the rising momentum behind nuclear energy, various challenges need to be overcome for nuclear to play an important role in the future energy landscape. This report reviews the status of nuclear energy around the world and explores risks related to policies, construction and financing. It provides the long-term outlook for nuclear power in light of policies and ambitions, quantifying nuclear power capacity and the related investment over the period to 2050. The report shows that with continued innovation, sufficient government support and new business models, small modular reactors can play a pivotal role in enabling a new era for nuclear energy. It highlights potential mechanisms to unlock financing while also emphasising the critical importance of adequate planning for the required workforce and supply chains.
Link to PDF: https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/b6a6fc8c-c62e-411d-a15c-bf211ccc06f3/ThePathtoaNewEraforNuclearEnergy.pdf
