USA and Russia commit to expand nuclear power

[FBaggins]

Energy leaders from Russia and America have made a "commitment to supporting the safe and secure expansion of civil nuclear energy" on the sidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency's General Conference.

Officials from the US Department of Energy and Russia's Rosatom signed what the US side called a "joint statement on strategic direction of US-Russia nuclear cooperation." US energy secretary Stephen Chu said it was a milestone for the two nuclear energy pioneers. They were long separated by their opposition during the Cold War, but now share a leading role in nuclear security and disarmament.

Chu said in his address to the conference that nuclear energy's role grows more valuable as we confront a changing climate, increasing energy demand and a struggling economy. "At the same time, Fukushima reminds us that nuclear safety and security require continued vigilance." He noted the agreements made by Russia and the USA to reduce their weapons stockpiles and the importance of the widest possible sign-up to the framework of international conventions supporting the safe use of nuclear energy.

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP_USA_and_Russia_commit_to_expand_nuclear_power_2109111.html

[madokie]

1. The people of the world is shunning nuclear power

so I doubt that anything will come of this. The nuke heads are a dying breed haven't you heard

[FBaggins]

2. Is they?

The people of the world is shunning nuclear power

I guess the countries who are planning/implementing rapid expansion of nuclear power missed the message.

[madokie]

3. All I've been reading is China scaling back, Germany going nuke free

France thinking about it or the people of France in the latest poll say they're against nuclear energy. The Japanese people are ready to put the nuke plants out to pasture. No I don't see a resurgence of nuclear energy usage anytime soon if ever. You'll never give up though will ya?

[FBaggins]

4. Then perhaps you should read more.

All that China is "scaling back" is the pace of expansion... from "headlong rush" to "sprint". Even that is not assured at this point... it may just be a shift away from anything short of GenIII units.

Germany was going nuke free already. It wasn't as if they were going to build new reactors pre-Fukushima.

France has no plans to "go nuke free" or anything close to it. They're only tinkering around the edges.

Japan is really the most substantial change since they've gone from constructing new reactors to an odd limbo that presumably doesn't include new construction. But those are easily offset by new construction plans. Really the largest factor slowing overall penetration is whatever extent new construction can't keep up with an inevitible wave of retiring reactors in the next couple decades.

No I don't see a resurgence of nuclear energy usage anytime soon if ever.

What you "see" appears to be guided only by what you wish to see. Are you blind to China, India, South Africa, Jordan, U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Egypt, Indonesia... (and so on)?

..and of course the good old USA.

[kristopher]

5. Compare and contrast...

1) Renewables are expected to dominate the world's energy systems:

Solar May Produce Most of World’s Power by 2060, IEA Says
By Ben Sills
Aug 29, 2011 8:10 AM GMT-0400

Solar generators may produce the majority of the world’s power within 50 years, slashing the emissions of greenhouse gases that harm the environment, according to a projection by the International Energy Agency.

Photovoltaic and solar-thermal plants may meet most of the world’s demand for electricity by 2060 -- and half of all energy needs -- with wind, hydropower and biomass plants supplying much of the remaining generation, Cedric Philibert, senior analyst in the renewable energy division at the Paris-based agency, said in an Aug. 26 phone interview.

“Photovoltaic and concentrated solar power together can become the major source of electricity,” Philibert said. “You’ll have a lot more electricity than today but most of it will be produced by solar-electric technologies.”

The solar findings, set to be published in a report later this year, go beyond the IEA’s previous forecast, which envisaged the two technologies meeting about 21 percent of the world’s power needs in 2050. The scenario suggests investors able to pick the industry’s winners may reap significant returns as the global economy shifts away from fossil fuels....

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-29/solar-may-produce-most-of-world-s-power-by-2060-iea-says.html




2) Nuclear is becoming increasingly less relevant:

Nuclear power may halve market share by 2050 - IAEA

VIENNA | Tue Sep 20, 2011 10:46pm IST

<snip>

...even in the high-growth scenario the market share will not change much from last year's 13.5 percent of total electricity generation, rising to 14 percent in 2030 before falling to 13.5 percent in 2050, the IAEA forecast said.

This reflects an anticipated rapid increase in total electricity output in the world over the coming four decades -- expected to more than triple by 2050.

As a result, the share for nuclear power could fall even if the sector's total output rises significantly.

In the IAEA's low projection, the share of nuclear power would fall to 11.8 percent in 2030 and to 6.2 percent in 2050...

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/09/20/idINIndia-59451520110920

Perhaps you should read more.

[txlibdem]

6. You forgot item 3)... zero coal, zero oil, zero natural gas by 2050

Funny how you always seem to forget to openly and honestly discuss your position on fossils...