US leads call at COP28 to triple nuclear energy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050

Issued on: 02/12/2023 -

UAE Minister of Energy, Suhail al-Mazrouei, speaks at an event for nuclear energy at the COP28 UN Climate Summit, on Saturday, December 2, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. © Peter Dejon, AP

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Video by: Valérie DEKIMPE  

More than 20 nations including the United States called for a tripling of nuclear energy to drive down emissions on Saturday as world leaders assembled for the third day of the UN climate talks in Dubai.

COP28: Calls for more nuclear and less 'destructive' methane

Dubai (AFP) – The United States led calls at UN climate talks Saturday for efforts to curb methane emissions but also pushed a deeply controversial drive to boost nuclear energy to curb global warming.


Issued on: 02/12/2023

Nuclear push: US climate envoy John Kerry 

© Ludovic MARIN / AFP

With smoggy skies in Dubai highlighting the challenges facing the world, other pledges are expected at the COP28 conference, including stepping up the deployment of renewable energy.

The use of nuclear power as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels is highly controversial as environmental groups are concerned about safety and the disposal of nuclear waste.

But more than 20 nations ranging from the US to Ghana, Japan and several European countries said in a declaration that it plays a "key role" in the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by mid-century.

They called for the tripling of nuclear energy capacity by 2050 from 2020 levels.

"We are not making the argument to anybody that this is absolutely going to be a sweeping alternative to every other energy source," US climate envoy John Kerry said at COP28.

"But we know because (of) the science and the reality of facts... that you can't get to net zero 2050 without some nuclear," he said.

The other signatories include Britain, France, South Korea, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates. But nuclear powers Russia and China did not sign up.

Environmental group 350.org said the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan highlighted the dangers of atomic power.

South Korean activists protest at Japan's plan to release wastewater from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant 

© Jung Yeon-je / AFP

"While we appreciate that the Biden administration is looking to invest in alternatives to fossil fuels, we don't have time to waste on dangerous distractions like nuclear energy," said its North American director Jeff Ordower.

Experts point to the fact that nuclear plants can take decades to go into service.

"Nuclear energy takes much longer than renewable energy to be operational," 350.org added.

Fossil fuel expansion 'frightening'

The declaration came as more than 50 world leaders took the stage at COP28 for the second day in a row, though US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are skipping the talks.

"Today, we are demonstrating through action how the world can and must meet this crisis," Harris said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said energy transition "has to be now", adding: "We all have to demonstrate the same determination to phase out fossil fuels, beginning with coal."

Meanwhile Colombia became one of the largest fossil fuel producers to join a group of climate-vulnerable island nations calling to end new development of planet-heating coal, oil and gas.

Colombia said its decision to join the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative was an important step in its climate plans.

Colombian Environment Minister Susana Muhamad said it was "frightening" that governments continued to plan to expand their fossil fuel exploitation.

Methane, often from farm animals, is the second biggest contributor to climate change © Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

While nations are locked in contentious negotiations on a phase out or phase down of fossil fuels, there is broad backing for the tripling of renewable energy by 2030, an issue that will feature highly on Saturday.

The US and China, the world's two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, will later hold a summit with the UAE on methane emissions, the second driver of global warming after fossil fuels.

"The science must be simple: to turn down the heat, you simply have to turn down the methane," said Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

Washington has announced it will tighten curbs on methane emissions from the oil and gas industry.

Methane: a potent greenhouse gas 

© Jonathan WALTER, Laurence SAUBADU / AFP

The new standards would phase in eliminating routine flaring of natural gas produced by oil wells and require comprehensive monitoring of methane leaks from wells and compression stations.

Methane emissions also come from the agriculture sector, with cows and sheep releasing the gas during digestion and in their manure.

Methane "is the most destructive gas", Kerry said.

© 2023 AFP

Nuclear power has role to play, atomic energy head tells AFP at COP28

Dubai (AFP) – It would be a mistake to reject nuclear power because of problems at a handful of projects, Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said in an interview with AFP.

Issued on: 02/12/2023 

Rafael Grossi, pictured in Vienna in November 2023, believes international lending organisations need to rethink their nuclear policies 

© Joe Klamar / AFP

Grossi was speaking at the COP28 conference in Dubai, where on Saturday a group of large countries are expected to call for nuclear power capacity to be tripled by 2050 as part of the fight against global warming.

Supporters of atomic power say it is an essential source of reliable emissions-free energy.

But detractors point to the risks and high costs of massive nuclear projects at a time when the price of renewable energies continues to fall.

"There is work to do," Grossi admitted, citing the financing needs of countries that wish to extend their nuclear fleets, such as Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa.

Grossi said countries tempted to take the nuclear leap, including Morocco, Senegal, Kenya and the Philippines, face similar challenges.

"There are statutes in some international lending organisations that exclude financing for nuclear," the Argentinian director general said.

"I think that is completely obsolete. It does not correspond to any scientific or technological criteria."

The World Bank, for instance, has not financed a nuclear project since 1959.

"I think, and I hope there will be an evolution" in their thinking, Grossi said.
Proliferation risk 'should not exist'

Some environmentalists argue that with certain nuclear projects already 10 years behind schedule, they are simply too costly and will not be ready in time to respond to climate challenges.

But rejecting all nuclear projects because of these setbacks would be "an error", Grossi insisted.

"Look, here in the Emirates... there was no nuclear here a decade ago and now there are four reactors," meeting about a quarter of the country's electricity demands.

The nuclear industry is resting much of its hopes on small modular reactors (SMR), which are less powerful but easier to construct.

There are concerns that less developed countries might not have the means to keep these installations safe and avoid proliferation.

"It is a legitimate question, but that is why we were created," Grossi responded, pointing to the flag of his agency, which carries atomic symbols on a United Nations blue background.

"Any country wanting to develop a nuclear programme must follow a full procedure and draw up an agreement with the Agency," he said.

"In principle, that means the risk of proliferation should not exist."

For example, the Emirates had to complete 19 steps while developing its civil nuclear programme, including setting up an independent supervisory body.

Grossi said he does not think the dangers faced by Ukraine's reactors since the start of Russia's invasion are an argument against nuclear power, either.

"The problem is war, not nuclear," he said without hesitation.

However, he could not hide his concern as winter approaches.

"The ground will harden, the tanks can move, the rivers will freeze, we see a lot of military equipment on both sides. Yes, that obviously worries us."

© 2023 AFP

Ministerial declaration puts nuclear at heart of climate action

02 December 2023

Twenty two countries have signed up to the goal of tripling global nuclear energy capacity by 2050, at the UN's COP28 climate change conference.

Sama Bilbao y León said the significance of the declaration could not be overstated (Image: WNA)

The heads of state, or senior officials, from Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Ghana,  Hungary, Japan, South Korea, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the USA signed the declaration at the conference taking place in Dubai.

Speaking during the launch ceremony at the event, the US Presidential climate envoy John Kerry was reported by Reuters to have said that the signatories believed that the world could not get to Net Zero without building more nuclear energy capacity: "We are not making the argument that this is absolutely going to be the sweeping alternative to every other energy source. But ... you can't get to net-zero 2050 without some nuclear."

The declaration says the countries recognise the need for a trebling of nuclear energy capacity to achieve "global net-zero greenhouse gas/carbon neutrality by or around mid-century and in keeping a 1.5 degrees celsius limit on temperature rise within reach". It also recognises that "new nuclear technologies could occupy a small land footprint and can be sited where needed, partner well with renewable energy sources and have additional flexibilities that support decarbonisation beyond the power sector, including hard-to-abate industrial sectors".

And there is recognition of the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency to support its member states to include nuclear in their national energy planning, as well as agreement on the importance of financing for new nuclear and it recognises "the need for high-level political engagement to spur further action on nuclear power".

Those signing the declaration commit to:

• Work together to advance a global aspirational goal of tripling nuclear energy capacity from 2020 by 2050, recognising the different domestic circumstances of each participant
• Take domestic actions to ensure nuclear power plants are operated responsibly and in line with the highest standards of safety, sustainability, security, and non-proliferation, and that fuel waste is responsibly managed for the long term
• Mobilise investments in nuclear power, including through innovative financing mechanisms and invite the World Bank and other international financial institutions' shareholders to encourage the inclusion of nuclear energy in their organisations' energy lending policies
• To supporting the development and construction of nuclear reactors, such as small modular and other advanced reactors for power generation as well as wider industrial applications for decarbonisation, such as for hydrogen or synthetic fuels production
• To supporting responsible nations looking to explore new civil nuclear deployment under the highest standards of safety, sustainability, security, and non-proliferation

They also recognise the importance of promoting resilient supply chains and, where feasible, of extending the lifetimes of existing nuclear power plants. The signatories also "resolve to review progress towards these commitments on an annual basis on the margins of the COP" and "call on other countries to join this declaration".

The declaration comes with nuclear energy becoming increasingly recognised by countries as being a key part of efforts to cut carbon emissions and tackle climate change. The Net Zero Nuclear initiative, which was co-founded by Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and World Nuclear Association, with support from the International Atomic Energy Agency's Atoms4NetZero initiative, calls for "unprecedented collaboration between government and industry leaders to at least triple global nuclear capacity to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050".

World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León said: "The significance of the Ministerial Declaration cannot be overstated. The countries supporting this declaration are making a resolute commitment, placing nuclear energy at the heart of their strategies for climate change mitigation. Their vision is one that strives for a sustainable, cost-effective, secure, and equitable energy mix all over the world.

"On behalf of the global nuclear industry, I express my deepest appreciation for your collective effort in crafting this bold and pragmatic declaration. Your commitment to nuclear energy is not just a statement; we take it as a challenge extended to the entire nuclear industry worldwide.

"As we move forward, we will unite and

Nuclear to 'shine' at COP28, says Bilbao y León

29 November 2023

The nuclear energy industry will be highly visible at the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28), taking place in Dubai over the coming weeks, World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León told delegates at the World Nuclear Exhibition 2023 in Paris.

(Image: WNN)

Nuclear energy, she said, has not been given much prominence at previous COP conferences. However, "for the first time, nuclear energy, which was once the victim of political posturing, is being incorporated whole-heartedly into the climate change conversations and the mitigation plans of many, many, many countries, and certainly we are seen as a positive force at the COP meetings".

This change in stance on nuclear has resulted from "the efforts of several generations of nuclear professionals that have participated in many COPs from the very beginning", Bilbao y León said. In addition, teams of the global nuclear trade associations have also contributed.

"More recently, since Paris, COP21, we need to thank the advocates at the Nuclear for Climate Initiative," she added. "Because all these friends and colleagues of yours have been carrying the nuclear torch at climate change conferences for more than 20 years. They have been doing that at times in the face of quite aggressive opposition."

However, she noted that things have changed "dramatically" over the past couple of years. At COP27, held in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022, there was the first Atoms for Climate Pavilion, a collaboration between the International Atomic Energy Agency and global nuclear trade associations. Bilbao y León said this was "truly a turning point in how nuclear is presented at COP meetings".

"Not only did we challenge the preconceptions that many people have about nuclear energy, but we also laid the groundwork to actually make sure that nuclear energy is perceived in a manner that is much more positive and inclusive in the context of climate change," she said. "I think what we are seeing in the COP microcosmos is actually a reflection of what we are seeing in the global situation all over the world. We are seeing a new interest in nuclear energy."

She said that an all-inclusive approach is needed so that all low-carbon energy sources, including nuclear, can play a role in creating a sustainable, net-zero global energy future. "To become a reality, the global capacity of nuclear energy needs to multiply by three," Bilbao y León noted.

"Today we have 60 gigawatts of new nuclear under construction all over the world and knowing that it takes 6-7 years for a large nuclear power plant to be built on average, all these reactors will be up and running by 2030," she said. "We also have more that are planned, and we are starting to see them moving forward. And of course, we have many exciting new projects with small modular reactors and advanced technologies. So we are going to see many of these demonstration projects become a reality this decade."

However, in order to achieve a trebling in nuclear capacity, the industry needs to "turn this political good will that we are starting to see into actionable and pragmatic policies". Licensing and regulatory processes need to streamlined and affordable financing must be secured. In addition, the supply chain and human resources must be expanded.

"We are going to need to bring together governments because at the end of the day our policymakers are the ones that are going to set these bold and pragmatic policies and energy markets," Bilbao y León said. "But then we in the nuclear industry need to work together with them because ultimately it is you, all of you, that are going to build and operate this nuclear future."

Looking ahead to COP28, which starts in Dubai on 30 November, she said the summit "will be a very pragmatic and realistic COP and frankly this is the right time for our industry to really shine and show that not only are we talking about the delivery, but we are already putting in place what is needed to provide these goals."

World Nuclear Association, together with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, have initiated the Net Zero Nuclear platform "to increase the visibility of nuclear energy by bringing together governments, the industry and civil society".

Researched and written by World Nuclear News work together in an ambitious spirit to translate today's goals into tangible achievements. We will continue to maximise our efforts to extend the operations of the existing nuclear fleet and work together to accelerate the deployment of new nuclear projects. We will continue to set the highest standards of quality, safety and security and will continue to work together to attract and cultivate the brightest minds among young scientists, engineers and other professionals to come and join us."

The signing of the ministerial declaration comes the day after the IAEA issued what it called a landmark statement saying the world needs nuclear energy to fight climate change and build "a low carbon bridge" to the future.

"The IAEA and its member states that are nuclear energy producers and those working with the IAEA to promote the benefits of peaceful uses of nuclear energy acknowledge that all available low emission technologies should be recognised and actively supported,” the statement read by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.

“Net zero needs nuclear power. Nuclear power emits no greenhouse gases when it is produced and contributes to energy security and the stability of the power grid, while facilitating the broader uptake of solar and wind power," it added.

COP28 - which stands for the 28th Conference of the Parties to the original 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - is being held in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from 30 November until 12 December. Representatives of nearly 200 governments are attending and the aim is to continue efforts to limit the global rise in temperatures to 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

Leaders commit to 'unlock potential' of nuclear energy at landmark summit

21 March 2024

Leaders and representatives from 32 countries at the Nuclear Energy Summit backed measures in areas such as financing, technological innovation, regulatory cooperation and workforce training to enable the expansion of nuclear capacity to tackle climate change and boost energy security.

The summit photo had Brussels' Atomium as its backdrop (Image: Klaus Iohannis/X)

The summit of nuclear-backing countries was jointly organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Belgium, where it was held. In his opening remarks, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi noted that it had taken 70 years since US President Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace United Nations speech for the first nuclear energy summit at the level of national leaders to be held.

He said that with the need for clean energy, "this is a global effort, the world needs us to get our act together" and ensure that international financial institutions can finance nuclear and increase nuclear energy capacity "in a safe, secure and non-proliferation way". He said "COP28 made it clear: to be pro-environment is to be pro-nuclear" and the summit "shows the nuclear taboo is over, starting a new chapter for nuclear commitment".

Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander de Croo noted his country's change of policy - from closing nuclear plants to extending operation - and said it was increasingly recognised that nuclear had to be part of the mix, with renewables, if the net-zero goals were going to be met.

In a series of speeches from the leaders attending, the need for energy security and carbon-free energy was frequently referenced, with International Energy Agency Director Fatih Birol saying that "without the support of nuclear power, we have no chance to reach our climate targets on time".

Extracts from the summit declaration

"We, the leaders of countries operating nuclear power plants, or expanding or embarking on or exploring the option of nuclear power ... reaffirm our strong commitment to nuclear energy as a key component of our global strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from both power and industrial sectors, ensure energy security, enhance energy resilience, and promote long-term sustainable development and clean energy transition.

"We are determined to do our utmost to fulfil this commitment through our active and direct engagement, in particular by enhancing cooperation with countries that opt to develop civil nuclear capacities in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a nationally determined manner, including for transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net-zero by mid-21st century in keeping with the science, as outlined in the First Global Stocktake of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference."

The declaration adds: "We commit to work to fully unlock the potential of nuclear energy by taking measures such as enabling conditions to support and competitively finance the lifetime extension of existing nuclear reactors, the construction of new nuclear power plants and the early deployment of advanced reactors, including small modular reactors, worldwide while maintaining the highest levels of safety and security, in accordance with respective national regulations and circumstances. In this drive for more clean energy and innovation, we commit to support all countries, especially emerging nuclear ones, in their capacities and efforts to add nuclear energy to their energy mixes consistent with their different national needs, priorities, pathways, and approaches and create a more open, fair, balanced and inclusive environment for their development of nuclear energy, including its non-electrical applications, and to continue effectively implementing safeguards, consistent with Member States’ national legislation and respective international obligations.

"We are committed to continuing our drive for technological innovation, further improving the operational performance, safety and economics of nuclear power plants, enhancing the resilience and security of global nuclear energy industrial and supply chains. We reaffirm our commitment to ensuring safe, secure and sustainable spent nuclear fuel management, radioactive waste management and disposal, in particular deep geological disposal, and decommissioning, including decommissioning by design. We call for an intensified collective effort on ensuring the security of energy supply and resilience of individual, regional, and multinational clean energy resources.

"We are committed to creating a fair and open global market environment for nuclear power development to promote exchanges and cooperation among countries. We encourage nuclear regulators to enhance cooperation to enable timely deployment of advanced reactors, including small modular reactors. We emphasise the value of coordinated cooperation in nuclear fuel supply, nuclear power equipment manufacturing and resource security to ensure the stability of the nuclear energy industrial and supply chains."

"We support enhancing efforts to facilitate mobilisation of public investments, where appropriate, and private investments towards additional nuclear power projects. We emphasise that concrete measures in support of nuclear energy may include, as appropriate, tools such as direct public financing, guarantees to debt and equity providers, schemes to share revenue and pricing risks. We call for greater inclusion of nuclear energy in the Environmental, Social, and Governance policies in the international financial system ... we invite multinational development banks, international financial institutions and regional bodies that have the mandate to do so to consider strengthening their support for financing nuclear energy projects and to support the establishment of a financial level playing field for all zero emission sources of energy generation."

"To ensure the future availability of skilled nuclear sector professionals, we need to contribute further to nuclear education and research, and we consider of the utmost importance to train and retain a large and motivated workforce. Investment in skills, including re-skilling, through education and research is critical for the sector through the whole value chain."

What leaders said

The leaders and representatives of the countries attending the summit each gave short speeches. Here are some of the messages those attending heard.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, noted there were different views on nuclear within the European Union, and said the future was not assured for nuclear, citing a falling share of electricity generation in the EU since the 1990s. But she said it should play a crucial role given the urgency of tackling the climate challenge. She added that, assuming safety was assured, countries thinking of closing their existing nuclear power plants rather than extending their lifetimes should "consider their options carefully before foregoing a readily available source of low-emission electricity". She also urged innovation, noting a global "race" involving countries and companies backing small modular reactors, saying "let's go for it".

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis said the country was determined to develop its nuclear energy programme with both large scale and small modular reactors and to become a regional leader, while Bulgaria's Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov noted his country's 50 years of experience in nuclear energy and said investment in new nuclear was a cornerstone for its future plans.

Serbia's President  Aleksandar Vučić congratulated the organisers for holding a summit which was "much more important than many meetings and gatherings bureaucratically organised just to see each other and not to do things". He said his country wanted to build three or four small modular reactors and would like to get the know-how to do so and also have support for finding a way to finance them - "as much help as possible".

The Chinese President's Special Envoy Vice Premier Zhong Guoqing, said China had 55 nuclear energy units in operation with 36 under construction and was assisting many other countries, all contributing to tackling global climate change. He said that it was a global issue, and said it was crucial to double down on safety and security and also "to oppose politicisation of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy".

Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said nuclear energy was crucial to achieve the net-zero goal and called for new nuclear financing to come from the European Investment Bank and other similar organisations, while Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala noted the benefits of long-term operation of existing plants for energy security, costs and climate targets and said "international cooperation will bring all of us bigger benefits".

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said nuclear was the only way of generating electricity which was cheap, safe, sustainable and reliable. His country has continued with its plans for the Russian-built Paks II nuclear power plant project and noted that companies from a number of countries in Europe, and the USA, were involved in the project. He said it was in everyone's interests to "prevent nuclear energy" becoming a "hostage of geopolitical hypocrisy and ideological debate".

FInland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said his country's next steps for nuclear included district heating, hydrogen production and a deep geological disposal site for radioactive waste, while the Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that for many years people had reservations about nuclear but views have changed, with the war in Ukraine "acting as an accelerator ... never before has it been so obvious that for the transition to succeed we need every source".

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico said his government was planning to construct 1200 MW of new capacity and would be inviting the world's companies to bid for the contracts. Slovenia's Prime Minister Robert Golob said public support for nuclear energy in his country was now above 65% - "it has never been higher". He said that financing was needed from multilateral banks at affordable rates, and also investment was needed in a new skilled workforce. He said global warming was the biggest threat and "we need to act immediately".

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country has large-scale nuclear expansion plans, welcomed the alliance for new nuclear, saying nuclear energy was the only way to reconcile the need to reduce emissions, create jobs and boost energy security. He added that many countries wanted to electrify mobility "but if the electricity is produced by fossil fuels it is a stupid move". He said there was a need to combine improving energy efficiency, and increase renewables as well as new nuclear.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said nuclear was prioritised within the country's power and climate change policy areas. He also said small modular reactors hold the promise of bringing nuclear energy to remote or hard to reach areas.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Akkuyu nuclear power plant would meet 10% of the country's electricity demand when completed and the plan is for more large plants and SMRs. He also backed IAEA efforts to stop an accident happening at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. For Japan, Masahiro Komura, Parliamentary vice minister for foreign affairs, said it was essential to introduce clean energy to the greatest possible extent and to devise strategies to get more investment to enhance the use of nuclear energy.

For the USA, John Podesta Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy, Innovation and Implementation, said the summit was a 21st Century update for the Atoms for Peace vision, and referenced the commitment by countries at COP28 to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, which he said means 200 GW of new nuclear capacity in the USA. He said a start had already been made and added that the country would also aim to help tackle the climate crisis by helping other countries across the world "build safe, secure, reliable, nuclear power".

Which countries signed the declaration

Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, UK, and the USA.

Industry support for the summit

A number of industry representative groups issued a joint statement in which they welcomed the outcome of the summit, and "the commitment of the national leaders assembled to the development and deployment of nuclear energy to fight climate change, provide energy security, and drive sustainable economic development. We stand ready to work alongside governments to deliver the required nuclear capacity to meet the challenges ahead of us".

The statement from the groups - World Nuclear Association, Canadian Nuclear Association, Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Korea Atomic Industrial Forum, Nuclear Energy Institute, Nucleareurope, and Nuclear Industry Association - said that industry needed governments to provide long-term policies and clarity for potential investors, as well as ensuring ready access to national and international climate finance mechanisms for nuclear deployment, and "promote development of the supply chain commensurate with expansion targets and continue investment in nuclear research".

World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León, said: “This meeting builds upon the good work at COP28, where we saw 25 governments come together and pledge a tripling of global nuclear capacity. As an industry we are here ready to meet the challenge and turn policies into projects to deliver the necessary nuclear energy expansion.”

What happens next?

A number of speakers at the event looked forward to similar future summits to continue to drive forward the initiative. De Croo and Grossi both said that the next summit would not necessarily need to be held in Belgium, and said it was unlikely to be an annual event, but the summit declaration concluded by saying: "We welcome and support the IAEA in convening, in cooperation with a Member State, another Nuclear Energy Summit in due course to maintain the momentum and continue building support for nuclear energy to decarbonise our world."

 

Industry ready to help deliver governmental nuclear ambitions

21 March 2024

Alongside the declaration adopted by governments at the inaugural Nuclear Energy Summit, held in Brussels on 21 March, global nuclear industry associations have set out the industry's commitment to supporting government objectives to expand nuclear energy capacity worldwide to achieve climate and energy security goals.

The Nuclear Energy Summit - hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Belgium government - is the highest-level meeting to date exclusively focused on nuclear energy, bringing together heads of state and ministers from around 30 countries, as well as industry leaders and other stakeholders.

This event builds on the unprecedented support shown for nuclear energy at COP28 in Dubai, where governments and the nuclear industry pledged to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050, and nuclear energy was included in the first global stocktake (the process for countries and stakeholders to chart progress towards meeting the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement).

The full text of the industry statement - jointly issued by the Canadian Nuclear Association, the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, the Korea Atomic Industrial Forum, the USA's Nuclear Energy Institute, Nucleareurope, the UK's Nuclear Industry Association and World Nuclear Association - is as follows:

"We applaud the convening of the first ever summit of heads of state on nuclear energy by the Prime Minister of Belgium and the Director General of the IAEA, and we welcome the commitment of the national leaders assembled to the development and deployment of nuclear energy to fight climate change, provide energy security, and drive sustainable economic development. We stand ready to work alongside governments to deliver the required nuclear capacity to meet the challenges ahead of us.

Nuclear energy makes a unique and irreplaceable contribution to our global energy needs with:

• Always-on, clean, reliable, and affordable energy for electricity production and to decarbonise hard to abate sectors to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.
• Low-carbon electricity with a high energy density on a compact footprint, thereby reducing habitat and biodiversity loss.
• Long asset life to ensure clean energy production for decades to come, thereby reducing utilization of critical minerals.
• High-quality long-term jobs that drive economic growth.
• Energy security against geopolitical, economic, and social challenges.

We note the unprecedented support shown at COP28 for nuclear energy through government and industry declarations to triple nuclear energy worldwide by 2050 and nuclear energy's inclusion in the first global stocktake. This expansion is necessary to achieve climate and energy security goals and will require substantial investments across industry in new projects, new capabilities, and a new skilled workforce.

The global nuclear industry is committed to supporting these objectives through the continued operation of the existing nuclear energy facilities and construction of new facilities, as well as the development of infrastructure and related technologies.

However, for industry to do its part to deliver on these ambitions, governments must:

• Establish the right conditions through consistent and coherent long-term policies that facilitate fleet deployment of nuclear technologies,
• Provide clarity to investors on the funding and investment recovery mechanisms available for nuclear projects,
• Ensure ready access to national and international climate finance mechanisms for nuclear development,
• Ensure that multilateral financial institutions include nuclear energy in their investment portfolios, and
• Clearly and unambiguously label nuclear energy and the associated fuel cycle as a sustainable investment.
• Promote development of the supply chain commensurate with expansion targets and continue investment in nuclear research.

A robust and durable policy framework provides the best possible blueprint for de-risking investments in nuclear energy, reducing costs and accelerating deployment. With this certainty, the nuclear industry can invest in the people, capability and infrastructure needed to execute the ambitious target set out by the governments present today.

The industry stands ready to work in close partnership with governments to unlock the potential of nuclear energy and innovation, while ensuring nuclear safety and security, through commercially driven expansion, and realise the full potential of nuclear technology for our economies, our societies, and our planet.

This is the time to turn plans into action and seize the historic opportunity before us."

Speaking from the event, World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León, said: "This meeting builds upon the good work at COP28, where we saw 25 governments come together and pledge a tripling of global nuclear capacity.

"Today, we welcome the commitment of the national leaders here in Brussels and from around the world, that are shaping energy and industrial policies to accelerate the development and deployment of nuclear energy – as a vital tool for decarbonisation and energy security, but also as a driver for human progress and sustainable economic development. As an industry we are here ready to meet the challenge and turn policies into projects to deliver the necessary nuclear energy expansion."

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

SCI-FI-TEK

JET retires - after 40 years and 105,929 pulses

21 December 2023

The pioneering Joint European Torus (JET) has performed its final fusion research experiments just over four decades after it delivered its first pulse on 25 June 1983

(Video: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority/EUROfusion)

JET, which is in Culham, near Oxford in the UK, performed its final day of plasma experiments on Monday and subsequently delivered its 105,929th and final pulse, in which JET ❤️ was engraved into one of its tiles.

The UK Atomic Energy Authority said that even on its final day of plasma it "continued to push scientific boundaries, firstly attempting an inverted plasma shape for the first time at Culham before deliberately aiming electrons at the inner wall to improve understanding of beam control and damage mechanisms".

As with its many previous experiments, the findings will help the development of the multinational ITER fusion project in southern France.

The foundation stone for JET was laid in 1979 and at that stage it was an 11-nation project comprising Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, West Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. In recent years it has been operated by the UK Atomic Energy Authority, with scientists from 28 European countries using it to conduct research into the potential for carbon-free fusion energy in the future through work coordinated by the EUROfusion consortium which manages and funds European fusion research activities on behalf of Euratom, which, post-Brexit, the UK is no longer a member of.

JET, where temperatures can reach levels 10 times hotter than the centre of the Sun, has achieved a number of landmarks over the years, holding the title of the largest reactor of its type in the world, achieving the world's first controlled release of fusion energy, while 1997 saw it set a record thermal power output of 16 megawatts. Last year researchers doubled previous records by producing a total of 59 megajoules of heat energy from fusion over a five second period.

Following its retirement JET moves on to repurposing and decommissioning, a process expected to last until about 2040.

(Image: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority/EUROfusion)

UKAEA CEO Ian Chapman, who was among those gathered in the control room (pictured above) for the final plasma experiment, said: "This is the final milestone in JET's 40-year history. Those decades of research using JET by dedicated teams of scientists and engineers have played a critical role in accelerating the development of fusion energy."

 

What is nuclear fusion?

Fusion powers the Sun and stars as hydrogen atoms fuse together to form helium, and matter is converted into energy. Hydrogen, heated to very high temperatures changes from a gas to a plasma in which the negatively-charged electrons are separated from the positively charged atomic nuclei. Normally, fusion is not possible because the strongly repulsive electrostatic forces between the positively charged nuclei prevent them from getting close enough together to collide and for fusion to occur.

However, if the conditions are such that the nuclei can overcome the electrostatic forces to the extent that they can come within a very close range of each other, then the attractive nuclear force (which binds protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei) between the nuclei will outweigh the repulsive (electrostatic) force, allowing them to fuse together. Such conditions can occur when the temperature increases, causing the nuclei to move faster and eventually reach speeds high enough to bring them close enough together to fuse, causing a release of energy.

JET is a tokamak fusion system with a doughnut-shaped vacuum chamber where, under the influence of extreme heat and pressure, gaseous hydrogen fuel becomes a plasma. The charged particles of the plasma can be shaped and controlled by massive magnetic coils placed around the vessel to confine the hot plasma away from the vessel walls.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

Atomic nucleus excited with laser: a breakthrough after decades

The "thorium transition", which has been sought after for decades, has now been excited for the first time with lasers. This paves the way for revolutionary high precision technologies, including nuclear clocks

VIENNA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

 

IMAGE: 

A LASER BEAM HITS THORIUM NUCLEI, EMBEDDED IN A CRYSTAL.

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CREDIT: TU WIEN

Physicists have been hoping for this moment for a long time: for many years, scientists all around the world have been searching for a very specific state of thorium atomic nuclei that promises revolutionary technological applications. It could be used, for example, to build an nuclear clock that could measure time more precisely than the best atomic clocks available today. It could also be used to answer completely new fundamental questions in physics - for example, the question of whether the constants of nature are actually constant or whether they change in space and time.

Now this hope has come true: the long-sought thorium transition has been found, its energy is now known exactly. For the first time, it has been possible to use a laser to transfer an atomic nucleus into a state of higher energy and then precisely track its return to its original state. This makes it possible to combine two areas of physics that previously had little to do with each other: classical quantum physics and nuclear physics. A crucial prerequisite for this success was the development of special thorium-containing crystals. A research team led by Prof. Thorsten Schumm from TU Wien (Vienna) has now published this success together with a team from the National Metrology Institute Braunschweig (PTB) in the journal "Physical Review Letters".

Switching quantum states

Manipulating atoms or molecules with lasers is commonplace today: if the wavelength of the laser is chosen exactly right, atoms or molecules can be switched from one state to another. In this way, the energies of atoms or molecules can be measured very precisely. Many precision measurement techniques are based on this, such as today's atomic clocks, but also chemical analysis methods. Lasers are also often used in quantum computers to store information in atoms or molecules.

For a long time, however, it seemed impossible to apply these techniques to atomic nuclei. "Atomic nuclei can also switch between different quantum states. However, it usually takes much more energy to change an atomic nucleus from one state to another – at least a thousand times the energy of electrons in an atom or a molecule," says Thorsten Schumm. "This is why normally atomic nuclei cannot be manipulated with lasers. The energy of the photons is simply not enough."

This is unfortunate, because atomic nuclei are actually the perfect quantum objects for precision measurements: They are much smaller than atoms and molecules and are therefore much less susceptible to external disturbances, such as electromagnetic fields. In principle, they would therefore allow measurements with unprecedented accuracy.

The needle in the haystack

Since the 1970s, there has been speculation that there might be a special atomic nucleus which, unlike other nuclei, could perhaps be manipulated with a laser, namely thorium-229. This nucleus has two very closely adjacent energy states – so closely adjacent that a laser should in principle be sufficient to change the state of the atomic nucleus.

For a long time, however, there was only indirect evidence of the existence of this transition. "The problem is that you have to know the energy of the transition extremely precisely in order to be able to induce the transition with a laser beam," says Thorsten Schumm. "Knowing the energy of this transition to within one electron volt is of little use, if you have to hit the right energy with a precision of one millionth of an electron volt in order to detect the transition.” It is like looking for a needle in a haystack – or trying to find a small treasure chest buried on a kilometer-long island.

The thorium crystal trick

Some research groups have tried to study thorium nuclei by holding them individually in place in electromagnetic traps. However, Thorsten Schumm and his team chose a completely different technique. "We developed crystals in which large numbers of thorium atoms are incorporated," explains Fabian Schaden, who developed the crystals in Vienna and measured them together with the PTB team. "Although this is technically quite complex, it has the advantage that we can not only study individual thorium nuclei in this way but can hit approximately ten to the power of seventeen thorium nuclei simultaneously with the laser – about a million times more than there are stars in our galaxy." The large number of thorium nuclei amplifies the effect, shortens the required measurement time and increases the probability of actually finding the energy transition.

On November 21, 2023, the team was finally successful: the correct energy of the thorium transition was hit exactly, the thorium nuclei delivered a clear signal for the first time. The laser beam had actually switched their state. After careful examination and evaluation of the data, the result has now been published.

"For us, this is a dream coming true," says Thorsten Schumm. Since 2009, Schumm had focused his research entirely on the search for the thorium transition. His group as well as competing teams from all over the world have repeatedly achieved important partial successes in recent years. "Of course we are delighted that we are now the ones who can present the crucial breakthrough: The first targeted laser excitation of an atomic nucleus," says Schumm.

The dream of the atomic nucleus clock

This marks the start of a new exciting era of research: now that the team knows how to excite the thorium state, this technology can be used for precision measurements. "From the very beginning, building an atomic clock was an important long-term goal," says Thorsten Schumm. "Similar to how a pendulum clock uses the swinging of the pendulum as a timer, the oscillation of the light that excites the thorium transition could be used as a timer for a new type of clock that would be significantly more accurate than the best atomic clocks available today."

But it is not just time that could be measured much more precisely in this way than before. For example, the Earth's gravitational field could be analyzed so precisely that it could provide indications of mineral resources or earthquakes. The measurement method could also be used to get to the bottom of fundamental mysteries of physics: Are the constants of nature really constant? Or can tiny changes perhaps be measured over time? "Our measuring method is just the beginning," says Thorsten Schumm. "We cannot yet predict what results we will achieve with it. It will certainly be very exciting."

PTB-researcher Johannes Tiedau in the laser lab

CREDIT

PTB Braunschweig

Thorsten Schumm (TU Wien, Vienna) holding one of his crystals

CREDIT

Foto Wilke

JOURNAL

Physical Review Letters

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Laser excitation of the Th-229 nucleus

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

29-Apr-2024