nuclear power: energy for the future or relic of the past? - commercial energy storage systems

People living in Western Europe think that nuclear energy is a force that can be forgiven.
Overwhelming public opposition has forced Italy to abandon any plan to restart its nuclear industry, while Germany is pushing ahead with its long term
The policy of phasing out all reactors by 2022.
Belgium is following the example of its neighbors, and Spain has no plans to increase the number of seven factories.
Even France, the spokesman for nuclear power, has announced plans to significantly reduce its dependence on atomic energy.
Plus, four years after the Fukushima disaster, Japan's 48 reactors have not resumed operation. in the past 20 years, the share of nuclear energy in global power generation has dropped from 17% to 11%, you may think the industry is in a terminal recession.
You're wrong. Quite wrong.
In fact, according to Dr. Jonathan Cobb of the World Nuclear Association (WNA)
70 nuclear reactors under construction, the highest in 25 years ".
There are another 500 proposed factories.
Far more than the operation of the world today.
Of course, many people will never see the light, but these figures make it clear that governments around the world are seeking nuclear energy to address some of the most pressing dilemmas they face --
That is, how to reduce carbon dioxide emissions related to global warming while meeting growing energy demand and improving energy security.
Seen as a mature, low
Carbon technology, which many see as a key part of the solution, is the case in China.
According to WNA, the country is building 27 new reactors and plans to build nearly 200 more.
The reason is simple-
China's demand for energy is expected to double by 2050, so it needs as much power as possible.
It is relatively simple to build nuclear power plants in China and some other developing economies.
First of all, they are much cheaper to build.
Usually between $10 bn (£6. 5bn)and $15bn -
And the country-
Regulation of the economy provides the necessary regulatory and financial support.
Such a huge capital investment requires long-term support.
As Tan Baizhi of the International Energy Agency said, "the banks of China are ready to finance [
Nuclear Power Plant.
"Some Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are also planning to build nuclear reactors driven by a powerful authoritarian regime.
Many Central and Eastern European countries, including Hungary, Romania and Ukraine, are also seeking to increase their nuclear capabilities, while Poland and Turkey plan to enter the nuclear era for the first time.
Many of these countries are heavily dependent on coal and need to find cleaner energy sources to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
As Peter Osbaldstone of energy consultant Wood Mackenzie said, nuclear energy is seen as "a very real opportunity to provide energy diversity, especially given their dependence on Russian gas ".
The free markets in Western Europe and the United States are very different.
Financing is a major stumbling block here, even with political will.
It's a good idea.
Very expensive to build.
For example, operator EDF Energy estimates that its new Hinkley Point plant in the UK will cost $24 bn, while the European Union (eu) will increase that number
No private company is willing or able to make this financial commitment on its own, especially given that it will take nearly 10 years for the plant to operate and can start generating cash returns.
Source: after years of negotiations with various energy groups, the British government finally persuaded the EDF to invest, but only after it assured the company of the fixed price of electricity produced by the factory, even if it was higher than the open market price at that time.
Even so, the EDF only made a commitment after receiving Chinese support.
The final investment decision has not even been submitted.
Britain is not the only country.
In France, the Flamanville plant was three years late and exceeded the budget, the first plant in the country in 15 years, although the new reactor in Finland should have been used for a long time, and billions more expensive than expected.
All of these reactors are the first to use the new EPR technology, which contains "many new innovations," Mr Cobb said"
Initial problems that should be solved when the new factory starts construction.
But as osbowdstone said, these "are not very good ads"EPR]".
The United States needs billions of dollars in government loan guarantees to fund new power plants, all of which have suffered serious delays.
In this regard, the government has also worked closely with the industry to develop smaller modular reactors that are more flexible and cost-effective than traditional designs.
But Osbaldstone said: "At present, the most severe test of nuclear technology is only to be able to deliver nuclear power plants on time and on budget . "
After the completion of the nuclear power plant, it is relatively cheap to operate.
There is a large amount of uranium in the world, which is cheaper than fossil fuels in terms of unit costs.
But nuclear power is far from the cheapest source of energy, given the cost of construction.
In fact, in Europe, even considering the price of carbon, it is more expensive than coal and natural gas.
It is also more expensive than onshore wind and solar power, and in many countries the cost of these renewable sources is falling rapidly.
The German government decided on 2000 to phase out nuclear power, with the final shutdown date of 2022.
The ruling was promoted by the Green Party, but now it enjoys a cross-cutting advantage.
According to Professor Claudia kemfete of the German Institute of Economics, the party's support, so there will be no policy change.
It is also supported by the vast majority of Germans.
Professor Kemfert said the government is expected to make up for the shortage of electricity caused by the shutdown of nuclear energy "mainly using renewable energy.
This is with gas.
It believes that thermal power plants should meet the energy needs of the country.
Energy efficiency, demand
Side management and energy storage will also play an important role in maintaining lighting.
The move away from nuclear weapons did not proceed as smoothly as expected --
Increased coal use and increased electricity charges due to renewable energy subsidies
But Germany believes that,
Long-term pain is a small price for cheap, clean energy supplies in the future.
Of course, the risks associated with nuclear power are more than just finance.
The Fukushima disaster promptly reminded people of the inherent dangers posed by the use of nuclear energy 25 years after the Chernobyl accident.
Technological advances have made nuclear fission safer, but the risk of reactor leakage can never be completely ignored.
Fukushima has also raised concerns about nuclear waste.
As of today, there is no permanent facility in the world to store radioactive waste fuels.
If the industry can find the final solution
Storage of waste
This will increase public acceptance of nuclear power, "said Tam MS.
But such a solution is unlikely in the short term.
Cobb said that some sites have been identified in Sweden and Finland, but they should only be open for "the next 10 or 20 years.
Environmental activists believe that investing in renewable energy is a smarter option given the risks and financial costs involved.
They may just have a little.