LIKE CARBON CAPTURE THIS IS A THEORY
Small module reactors can help Canada meet sustainability goals, expert saysSMRs could allow Canada to meet net-zero emissions goals while leveraging nuclear expertise for a growing global market, says CNA President John Gorman
Author of the article: Daniel Johnson
Publishing date: Aug 03, 2021 •
Publishing date: Aug 03, 2021 •
Point LePreau nuclear station in New Brunswick. The province is currently examining the prospects for a pair of new Candu reactors, which would make it the largest nuclear province in Canada after Ontario. PHOTO BY PHOTO BY SHAUN POLZER, CALGARY HERALD
Small module reactors (SMRs), are a nuclear technology vital to achieving Canada’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, says the president and CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA).
In an interview with the National Post, John Gorman said that SMRs are smaller, cheaper and more scalable than traditional nuclear reactors. Where traditional reactors are large infrastructure projects, SMRs can be mass manufactured and assembled elsewhere, allowing for drastic reductions in costs, Gorman said. The reactors possess advanced safety and automation features, he said, that allow them to be operated with no human intervention.
A recent study by the association concluded that between 2035 and 2050, small reactors could reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Canada’s heavy industrial sectors by 216 megatonnes, the equivalent of eliminating emissions from the oil and gas sector for one year in Canada.
“Our sustainability goals really have everything to do with hitting our GHG targets, but also with the type of product that we produce,” Gorman said. “And whether that product is competitive on the international market, not just from a cost perspective, but from a carbon intensity perspective.”
On Nov. 19, 2020, the minister of environment and climate change, Jonathan Wilkinson, tabled the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act in the House of Commons. The act legally binds the government to a process to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The study by CNA indicated that utilizing SMRs in Canada’s heavy industries could reduce the costs associated with reaching net-zero emissions by more than five per cent, while contributing up to $5 billion towards annual GDP by 2050.
“People are just not appreciating the size of the challenge that we have in front of us from an electricity generation point of view,” Gorman said.
In Canada, 80 per cent of our energy generation is non-emitting, said Gorman, but we need to clean up the last 20 per cent. However, Gorman said Canada also needs to double or even triple electricity generation. The Government of Canada said that generating electricity across all economic sectors by 2050 will require Canada to produce two to three times more non-emitting power as it does at present.
“So how do you produce two to three times as much electricity generation as we currently have, without bringing all of the tools you can to the table?” said Gorman.
SMRs can be paired with renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar, Gorman said. Where wind and solar technologies are dependent on the sun shining or the wind blowing, Gorman said, SMRs could provide support as other renewables go through cycles of production.
In Canada and abroad, SMR implementation is gaining traction.
Ontario Power Generation (OPG), stated that it is planning to integrate an SMR at its Darlington site as early as 2028, depending on regulatory approvals and licensing.
“We recently announced our goal to site an SMR at our licensed Darlington site as early as 2028, cementing OPG and Ontario’s role as a world-leader in this technology, and in turn, creating job opportunities and economic growth,” said Ken Hartwick, the president and CEO of OPG in a press release.
In November 2018, the Canadian government released its SMR Roadmap. The roadmap is a 10-month nationwide study of SMRs developed in response to markets looking for smaller, simpler and cheaper forms of nuclear energy. It outlined next steps towards further development of the technology in Canada. It also states that Canada has a domestic market with great potential and a window of opportunity to lead the industry.
The World Nuclear Association said that in October 2020, OPG announced it would bring forward design work with three developers of grid-scale SMRs, in an effort to support remote energy needs. In November 2020, New Brunswick Power and Moltex Energy were supported by ARC Canada, a clean energy technology company, to set up an SMR vendor cluster located at Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station, a nuclear power station located about 40 kilometres southwest of Saint John, N.B. In March of 2021, the Canadian government announced $56 million of support, mostly for the Moltex Stable Salt Reactor Wasteburner project, which looks to build the world’s first 300 MW Stable Salt Reactor at the Point Lepreau Generating Station.
“But they’re (SMRs) here now, well past the drawing board and into the licensing process in front of the regulator here in Canada,” said Gorman. “We have got 12 different technologies that are being reviewed and licensed right now, some of them in the last stages.”
Outside of Canada, Gorman said SMR technology is being unilaterally developed in China and Russia with the U.S. and U.K. “very close behind.”
According to the World Nuclear Association China has the most advanced SMR project, in which the country is starting to build a 210 MWe high-temperature gas-cooled reactor-pebble bed module, consisting of twin 250 megawatts thermal (MWt) high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTRs). China is also developing small district heating reactors with capacities of 100-200 MWt. According to the World Nuclear Association, SMR research and development is very active in China, with competition occurring between companies, and innovation shaping the region.
With the global development of SMR technology, Gorman said that Canada needs to press its nuclear advantage. Gorman said that despite being a small nation, Canada has expertise in nuclear technology, with more than 60 years of experience and innovation in the safe and responsible management of nuclear facilities.
Gorman said an example of this can be seen in Canada’s CANDU technology. The CNA states that CANDU reactors are heavy water reactors developed by Canadian scientists and engineers. The Government of Canada states that there are 18 CANDU reactors in Ontario, one in New Brunswick and another 10 operating outside the country.
Canada exports its CANDU technology to seven other nations, said Gorman, and Canada is widely regarded as a world leader in nuclear technology. If Canada continues to be a first-mover on SMRs, Gorman said Canada can use new and existing technology to hit GHG reduction targets while meeting the growing global market demand for SMRs.
According to Natural Resources Canada, the SMR technology market is expected to reach $150 billion to $300 billion by 2040.
“I think, Canada has a choice to make right now, which is does it want to capitalize on this expertise and our first-mover advantage here, to create new homegrown technology and be able to benefit from that economically,” Gorman said.
“Or are we going to end up buying that technology from the U.S. and the U.K., which I think would be a real shame.”
UK Government progresses demonstration of next generation nuclear reactor
The UK government’s plan to have the latest nuclear technology up and running within the next decade has moved a step closer today as part of the drive to reach net zero emissions.
From:Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MPPublished29 July 2021
Ministers consider high temperature gas reactors (HTGRs) for £170 million Advanced Modular Reactor Demonstration Programme
as well as producing low carbon electricity for the grid, advanced modular reactors (AMRs) could produce clean hydrogen and high temperature heat to decarbonise heavy industry
government also announces pilot of new Advanced Nuclear Skills and Innovation Campus, as UK harnesses new and advanced nuclear technology to help UK reach net zero by 2050
The UK government’s plan to have the latest nuclear technology up and running within the next decade has moved a step closer today as part of the drive to reach net zero emissions.
A Call for Evidence, published today (29 July), sets out the government’s suggested approach to building the first advanced modular reactor (AMR) demonstrator. This will specifically explore high temperature gas reactors (HTGRs) as the most promising model for the demonstration programme, which ministers are investing £170 million into delivering by the early 2030s.
AMRs are typically smaller than conventional nuclear power stations, more flexible, and could be built at a fraction of a cost. It is hoped that as well as safely creating electricity to power homes on the grid, HTGRs will also be able to generate low-carbon hydrogen. In addition, thanks to also generating extremely high temperature heat, they could help decarbonise industry and potentially power district heating networks by the 2040s.
Around a third (37%) of the UK’s carbon emissions come from heat, with a significant portion from heavy industrial processes. By generating heat at between 500 and 950°C - higher than other types of AMR - HTGRs could significantly cut emissions from processes such as cement, paper, glass and chemical production in the UK’s industrial heartlands.
Ministers are today inviting views from industry and the public on the government’s preference to explore the potential of HTGRs for its AMR demonstration project.
Minister of State for Energy, Anne Marie Trevelyan, said:
While renewables like wind and solar will become an integral part of where our electricity will come from by 2050, they will always require a stable low-carbon baseload from nuclear. That is why, alongside negotiations with the developers of Sizewell C in Suffolk, we are pressing ahead with harnessing new and exciting advanced nuclear technology.
Advanced modular reactors are the next level of modern nuclear technology and have the potential to play a crucial role not only in tackling carbon emissions, but also in powering industry and driving forward Britain’s economic growth, as we build back greener.
Today’s step builds on the commitment made in the Energy White Paper and the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for £170 million of investment in an R&D programme for Advanced Modular Reactors, as part of a £385 million package to accelerate the development of more flexible nuclear technologies.
AMRs use new types of fuel and coolants compared to conventional reactors, which tend to use water for cooling. Internationally, there are 6 main types of AMR technology, which could play a role in achieving net zero, with some potentially re-using spent nuclear materials as new fuel. However, with one of the highest temperature outputs, HTGRs are being considered for the demonstrator programme.
Independent research from the University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute, Royal Society and the Energy Systems Catapult have concluded that AMRs could play a vital role in supporting a future clean energy system.
While today’s reactors are already extremely safe, AMRs also seek to build even further on the high safety features of conventional reactors.
Fellow at the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering, Dame Sue Ion, said:
This proposal is extremely welcome news and demonstrates the tremendous potential of advanced nuclear power, which could be expanded safely to improve the overall efficiency of our energy system, but also help decarbonize difficult to help heavy industry, to help meet the UK’s net-zero goal.
This Advanced Modular Reactor demonstration plays to the UK strengths in nuclear fuel and gas cooled reactors in building a technology platform for HTGRs for the UK to exploit and potentially export internationally.
The government continues to support the development of a wide variety of nuclear technologies, and is today also announcing the piloting of an Advanced Nuclear Skills and Innovation Campus, being developed by the National Nuclear Laboratory. Located in Preston, it will serve as an innovation hub, bringing together industry and academia to collaborate on projects which help develop and commercialise advanced nuclear technologies.
Meanwhile, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is preparing to submit a summary of evidence on nuclear energy to the Energy Working Group (EWG), which will help inform how to address nuclear energy in the Green Taxonomy.
The Green Taxonomy will be a common framework setting the bar for investments that can be defined as environmentally sustainable, helping clamp down on greenwashing – unsubstantiated or exaggerated claims that an investment is environmentally friendly. It will make it easier for investors and consumers to understand how a firm is impacting the environment to encourage greater investments in funds that will help the UK achieve net zero.
Notes to editors
This Call for Evidence seeks to strengthen the government’s evidence base around the potential of advanced modular reactors (AMRs) and high temperature gas reactors (HTGRs) in particular, to support net zero by 2050, as committed in the Ten Point plan and Energy White Paper. Feedback will be used to support the development of an AMR R&D demonstration programme.
There are many possible types of AMRs but 6 have been selected by the Generation IV International Forum for further research and development:
gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR)
lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR)
molten salt reactor (MSR)
supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR)
sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR)
very high temperature gas reactor (VHTR/HTGR)
Read the Royal Society’s report on the benefits of AMRs and HTGRs in particular.
AMRs are one of 2 types of advanced nuclear technologies being explored by the government. The other is small modular reactors (SMRs), which use existing pressurised water reactor (PWR) technology, and which are likely to be able to be mass-produced and transported, flat-pack-style, to parts of the country that need them.
The government is also to extend the Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme, delivered in co-operation with the National Nuclear laboratory (NNL). This will continue to build world-leading capability in advanced nuclear fuels for use in more near-term SMRs and AMRs.
Small module reactors (SMRs), are a nuclear technology vital to achieving Canada’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, says the president and CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA).
In an interview with the National Post, John Gorman said that SMRs are smaller, cheaper and more scalable than traditional nuclear reactors. Where traditional reactors are large infrastructure projects, SMRs can be mass manufactured and assembled elsewhere, allowing for drastic reductions in costs, Gorman said. The reactors possess advanced safety and automation features, he said, that allow them to be operated with no human intervention.
A recent study by the association concluded that between 2035 and 2050, small reactors could reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Canada’s heavy industrial sectors by 216 megatonnes, the equivalent of eliminating emissions from the oil and gas sector for one year in Canada.
“Our sustainability goals really have everything to do with hitting our GHG targets, but also with the type of product that we produce,” Gorman said. “And whether that product is competitive on the international market, not just from a cost perspective, but from a carbon intensity perspective.”
On Nov. 19, 2020, the minister of environment and climate change, Jonathan Wilkinson, tabled the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act in the House of Commons. The act legally binds the government to a process to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The study by CNA indicated that utilizing SMRs in Canada’s heavy industries could reduce the costs associated with reaching net-zero emissions by more than five per cent, while contributing up to $5 billion towards annual GDP by 2050.
“People are just not appreciating the size of the challenge that we have in front of us from an electricity generation point of view,” Gorman said.
In Canada, 80 per cent of our energy generation is non-emitting, said Gorman, but we need to clean up the last 20 per cent. However, Gorman said Canada also needs to double or even triple electricity generation. The Government of Canada said that generating electricity across all economic sectors by 2050 will require Canada to produce two to three times more non-emitting power as it does at present.
“So how do you produce two to three times as much electricity generation as we currently have, without bringing all of the tools you can to the table?” said Gorman.
SMRs can be paired with renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar, Gorman said. Where wind and solar technologies are dependent on the sun shining or the wind blowing, Gorman said, SMRs could provide support as other renewables go through cycles of production.
In Canada and abroad, SMR implementation is gaining traction.
Ontario Power Generation (OPG), stated that it is planning to integrate an SMR at its Darlington site as early as 2028, depending on regulatory approvals and licensing.
“We recently announced our goal to site an SMR at our licensed Darlington site as early as 2028, cementing OPG and Ontario’s role as a world-leader in this technology, and in turn, creating job opportunities and economic growth,” said Ken Hartwick, the president and CEO of OPG in a press release.
In November 2018, the Canadian government released its SMR Roadmap. The roadmap is a 10-month nationwide study of SMRs developed in response to markets looking for smaller, simpler and cheaper forms of nuclear energy. It outlined next steps towards further development of the technology in Canada. It also states that Canada has a domestic market with great potential and a window of opportunity to lead the industry.
The World Nuclear Association said that in October 2020, OPG announced it would bring forward design work with three developers of grid-scale SMRs, in an effort to support remote energy needs. In November 2020, New Brunswick Power and Moltex Energy were supported by ARC Canada, a clean energy technology company, to set up an SMR vendor cluster located at Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station, a nuclear power station located about 40 kilometres southwest of Saint John, N.B. In March of 2021, the Canadian government announced $56 million of support, mostly for the Moltex Stable Salt Reactor Wasteburner project, which looks to build the world’s first 300 MW Stable Salt Reactor at the Point Lepreau Generating Station.
“But they’re (SMRs) here now, well past the drawing board and into the licensing process in front of the regulator here in Canada,” said Gorman. “We have got 12 different technologies that are being reviewed and licensed right now, some of them in the last stages.”
Outside of Canada, Gorman said SMR technology is being unilaterally developed in China and Russia with the U.S. and U.K. “very close behind.”
According to the World Nuclear Association China has the most advanced SMR project, in which the country is starting to build a 210 MWe high-temperature gas-cooled reactor-pebble bed module, consisting of twin 250 megawatts thermal (MWt) high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTRs). China is also developing small district heating reactors with capacities of 100-200 MWt. According to the World Nuclear Association, SMR research and development is very active in China, with competition occurring between companies, and innovation shaping the region.
With the global development of SMR technology, Gorman said that Canada needs to press its nuclear advantage. Gorman said that despite being a small nation, Canada has expertise in nuclear technology, with more than 60 years of experience and innovation in the safe and responsible management of nuclear facilities.
Gorman said an example of this can be seen in Canada’s CANDU technology. The CNA states that CANDU reactors are heavy water reactors developed by Canadian scientists and engineers. The Government of Canada states that there are 18 CANDU reactors in Ontario, one in New Brunswick and another 10 operating outside the country.
Canada exports its CANDU technology to seven other nations, said Gorman, and Canada is widely regarded as a world leader in nuclear technology. If Canada continues to be a first-mover on SMRs, Gorman said Canada can use new and existing technology to hit GHG reduction targets while meeting the growing global market demand for SMRs.
According to Natural Resources Canada, the SMR technology market is expected to reach $150 billion to $300 billion by 2040.
“I think, Canada has a choice to make right now, which is does it want to capitalize on this expertise and our first-mover advantage here, to create new homegrown technology and be able to benefit from that economically,” Gorman said.
“Or are we going to end up buying that technology from the U.S. and the U.K., which I think would be a real shame.”
UK Government progresses demonstration of next generation nuclear reactor
The UK government’s plan to have the latest nuclear technology up and running within the next decade has moved a step closer today as part of the drive to reach net zero emissions.
From:Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MPPublished29 July 2021
Ministers consider high temperature gas reactors (HTGRs) for £170 million Advanced Modular Reactor Demonstration Programme
as well as producing low carbon electricity for the grid, advanced modular reactors (AMRs) could produce clean hydrogen and high temperature heat to decarbonise heavy industry
government also announces pilot of new Advanced Nuclear Skills and Innovation Campus, as UK harnesses new and advanced nuclear technology to help UK reach net zero by 2050
The UK government’s plan to have the latest nuclear technology up and running within the next decade has moved a step closer today as part of the drive to reach net zero emissions.
A Call for Evidence, published today (29 July), sets out the government’s suggested approach to building the first advanced modular reactor (AMR) demonstrator. This will specifically explore high temperature gas reactors (HTGRs) as the most promising model for the demonstration programme, which ministers are investing £170 million into delivering by the early 2030s.
AMRs are typically smaller than conventional nuclear power stations, more flexible, and could be built at a fraction of a cost. It is hoped that as well as safely creating electricity to power homes on the grid, HTGRs will also be able to generate low-carbon hydrogen. In addition, thanks to also generating extremely high temperature heat, they could help decarbonise industry and potentially power district heating networks by the 2040s.
Around a third (37%) of the UK’s carbon emissions come from heat, with a significant portion from heavy industrial processes. By generating heat at between 500 and 950°C - higher than other types of AMR - HTGRs could significantly cut emissions from processes such as cement, paper, glass and chemical production in the UK’s industrial heartlands.
Ministers are today inviting views from industry and the public on the government’s preference to explore the potential of HTGRs for its AMR demonstration project.
Minister of State for Energy, Anne Marie Trevelyan, said:
While renewables like wind and solar will become an integral part of where our electricity will come from by 2050, they will always require a stable low-carbon baseload from nuclear. That is why, alongside negotiations with the developers of Sizewell C in Suffolk, we are pressing ahead with harnessing new and exciting advanced nuclear technology.
Advanced modular reactors are the next level of modern nuclear technology and have the potential to play a crucial role not only in tackling carbon emissions, but also in powering industry and driving forward Britain’s economic growth, as we build back greener.
Today’s step builds on the commitment made in the Energy White Paper and the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for £170 million of investment in an R&D programme for Advanced Modular Reactors, as part of a £385 million package to accelerate the development of more flexible nuclear technologies.
AMRs use new types of fuel and coolants compared to conventional reactors, which tend to use water for cooling. Internationally, there are 6 main types of AMR technology, which could play a role in achieving net zero, with some potentially re-using spent nuclear materials as new fuel. However, with one of the highest temperature outputs, HTGRs are being considered for the demonstrator programme.
Independent research from the University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute, Royal Society and the Energy Systems Catapult have concluded that AMRs could play a vital role in supporting a future clean energy system.
While today’s reactors are already extremely safe, AMRs also seek to build even further on the high safety features of conventional reactors.
Fellow at the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering, Dame Sue Ion, said:
This proposal is extremely welcome news and demonstrates the tremendous potential of advanced nuclear power, which could be expanded safely to improve the overall efficiency of our energy system, but also help decarbonize difficult to help heavy industry, to help meet the UK’s net-zero goal.
This Advanced Modular Reactor demonstration plays to the UK strengths in nuclear fuel and gas cooled reactors in building a technology platform for HTGRs for the UK to exploit and potentially export internationally.
The government continues to support the development of a wide variety of nuclear technologies, and is today also announcing the piloting of an Advanced Nuclear Skills and Innovation Campus, being developed by the National Nuclear Laboratory. Located in Preston, it will serve as an innovation hub, bringing together industry and academia to collaborate on projects which help develop and commercialise advanced nuclear technologies.
Meanwhile, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is preparing to submit a summary of evidence on nuclear energy to the Energy Working Group (EWG), which will help inform how to address nuclear energy in the Green Taxonomy.
The Green Taxonomy will be a common framework setting the bar for investments that can be defined as environmentally sustainable, helping clamp down on greenwashing – unsubstantiated or exaggerated claims that an investment is environmentally friendly. It will make it easier for investors and consumers to understand how a firm is impacting the environment to encourage greater investments in funds that will help the UK achieve net zero.
Notes to editors
This Call for Evidence seeks to strengthen the government’s evidence base around the potential of advanced modular reactors (AMRs) and high temperature gas reactors (HTGRs) in particular, to support net zero by 2050, as committed in the Ten Point plan and Energy White Paper. Feedback will be used to support the development of an AMR R&D demonstration programme.
There are many possible types of AMRs but 6 have been selected by the Generation IV International Forum for further research and development:
gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR)
lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR)
molten salt reactor (MSR)
supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR)
sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR)
very high temperature gas reactor (VHTR/HTGR)
Read the Royal Society’s report on the benefits of AMRs and HTGRs in particular.
AMRs are one of 2 types of advanced nuclear technologies being explored by the government. The other is small modular reactors (SMRs), which use existing pressurised water reactor (PWR) technology, and which are likely to be able to be mass-produced and transported, flat-pack-style, to parts of the country that need them.
The government is also to extend the Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme, delivered in co-operation with the National Nuclear laboratory (NNL). This will continue to build world-leading capability in advanced nuclear fuels for use in more near-term SMRs and AMRs.
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