Studies have repeatedly shown that nuclear energy is almost zero emitting source of carbon for electricity production in general, when considering total life-cycle emissions and is the second largest source of low-carbon electricity production globally after hydropower. Almost all reports on future energy supply from major organisations suggest an expanded role for nuclear power is required, alongside growth in other forms of low-carbon power generation, to create a sustainable future energy system.
Growth in the world's population and economy, coupled with rapid urbanisation, will result in a substantial increase in energy demand over the coming years. The United Nations (UN) estimates that the world's population will grow from 7.6 billion in 2017 to 9.8 billion by 2050. The process of urbanisation – which currently adds a city the size of Shanghai to the world's urban population every four months or so – will result in approximately two-thirds of the world's people living in urban areas by 2050 (up from 54% in 2014). The challenge of meeting rapidly growing energy demand, whilst reducing harmful emissions of greenhouse gases, is very significant and challenging. In 2017 global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide rose by 1.4%, the largest annual rise ever recorded.
It would be pertinent to mention that with high carbon constraints, the system cost of electricity without nuclear power is twice as high in the USA and four times as high in China according to the MIT study.
So nuclear power is need of the hour to fulfil the long term electricity in future.
Nuclear power generation is an established part of the world's electricity mix providing over roughly around 11% of world electricity. It is especially suitable for meeting large-scale, continuous electricity demand where reliability and predictability are vital – hence ideally matched for increasing needs of urbanisation worldwide
Monday, May 6, 2019
