Nuclear Power Vital To Europe's Climate Change Battle

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Nuclear power will play a key role in Europe's climate change battle following the adoption of a new resolution by the European Parliament.

The resolution on the 2019 United Nations (UN) climate change conference (COP25) highlights the role of all technologies--including nuclear power--to be harnessed to combat climate change which the Parliament has classed as an "emergency."

"[The Parliament] believes that nuclear energy can play a role in meeting climate objectives because it does not emit greenhouse gases, and can also ensure a significant share of electricity production in Europe; considers nevertheless that, because of the waste it produces, this energy requires a medium- and long-term strategy that takes into account technological advances (laser, fusion, etc.) aimed at improving the sustainability of the entire sector."

The European Union (EU) relies on nuclear power for more than 25% of its electricity, and a higher proportion of base-load power, according to the World Nuclear Association. Nuclear provides over half of low-carbon electricity in the region. In 2018 in the EU's electricity mix, 46% of power came from fossil fuels and biomass and 28% from renewables (12% from hydro). The hydro plus other renewables target for 2030 is about 46-50% of electricity (27% renewables overall), with wind and solar likely to contribute more than half of that. There are 128 nuclear power reactors supplying 119 gigawatts (GW) of electricity in 14 of the 28 EU member states. Half of the EU's nuclear electricity is produced in France, which has 53 reactors. The issue of nuclear power is still very divisive with many EU countries against the use of nuclear while some, like Germany, have committed to a rapid decommissioning of its nuclear fleet.

Nuclear industry body FORATOM welcomed the adoption of the COP 25 resolution. "We are delighted to see the European Parliament recognise the role which low-carbon nuclear has to play in meeting climate objectives and in ensuring security of supply" explained FORATOM Director General Yves Desbazeille. "Furthermore, the nuclear industry will continue to fully implement the best available waste management techniques as well as research and development into new solutions."

He also pointed out that "both the IPCC (Global Warming of 1.5°C) and the IEA (Nuclear Power in a Clean Energy System) have made it very clear that decarbonisation goals cannot be achieved without nuclear energy." FORATOM represents nearly 3,000 European companies working in the industry and supporting around 1.1 million jobs.

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