2015 Paris Agreement<\/a> states that all countries need to establish targets and strategies to stay within the temperature rise limit of 1.5\u00b0C and transition away from oil, coal, natural gas, and other fossil fuels.\u00a0 Now, energy experts are divided on whether small modular nuclear reactors can either help us achieve our climate goals or cause even more environmental destruction.<\/p>\nPotential of modular nuclear reactors<\/h3>\n What are small modular nuclear reactors? The International Atomic Energy Association defines them as nuclear reactors with a capacity of 300 megawatts or under, compared to the 1,000 megawatts or more of traditional nuclear reactors, which gives them minimal environmental footprint. Additionally, modular nuclear reactors take up less space than power plants or wind and solar farms that produce renewable energy.<\/p>\n
Nanda Kumar Janardhanan, who teaches energy studies at the\u00a0Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, said: \u201cUnlike conventional large nuclear power facilities, which can take a decade or more to build and become operational, small reactors can be ready in a fraction of that time as they are small enough to be manufactured in a factory and transported to the operating site.<\/p>\n
\u201cCountries that need clean energy supply can possibly use small modular reactors as an alternative to depending on environmentally damaging thermal power. This is one of the direct benefits that it offers towards climate mitigation. As the demand for hydrogen as a fuel for transportation and industry grows, small modular reactors could also provide the energy needed to generate hydrogen.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite these advantages, the wider usage of small modular nuclear reactors will demand a transformative change in safety measures so as to build public confidence and gain acceptance, such as to\u00a0disasters\u00a0like Chernobyl and Fukushima, which have led to anti-nuclear perceptions among certain societies or people.\u201d<\/p>\n
The World Nuclear Association (WNA) has stated that nuclear power offers a unique opportunity to achieve the objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement. They believe that the fear of the risks associated with nuclear power has led to the global acceptance of fossil fuels that have contributed to climate change and cause millions of deaths due to air pollution. The organisation is calling on governments, regulators, and industry to accelerate the industrialisation of new nuclear projects, such as modular nuclear reactors.<\/p>\n
Karthik Ganesan, fellow and director of research at the\u00a0Council on Energy, Environment and Water\u00a0in New Delhi, said: \u201cAsia is one region where nuclear power capacity is increasing. Developing Asia (China, India) and developed Asia (Korea and Japan), who already manage large civilian nuclear programmes, must remain invested in small modular reactor technology.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut for the small modular nuclear reactor concept to succeed in Asia, it must satisfy the primary requirements of increased safety, simplicity in construction and operation and be comparable in economic terms with conventional nuclear power plants.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conflicting perspectives<\/h3>\n A range of other climate and energy experts have contradictory views on the potential of modular nuclear reactors to achieve net-zero targets.<\/p>\n
M. V. Ramana, a physicist at the Nuclear Futures Laboratory, Princeton University, who works on nuclear power in the context of climate change and nuclear disarmament, said: \u201cHumanity does not have the time to invest in small modular reactors \u2014 the climate problem is urgent.<\/p>\n
\u201cEntire supply chains would need to be established after the first small modular reactors have been built, tested, and proven. There is no realistic prospect that it can make a significant dent in the need to transition rapidly to a carbon-free electricity system.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Energy experts have proclaimed that modular nuclear reactors may potentially be the key to achieving the planet\u2019s net-zero emissions targets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":14196,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24204],"tags":[689,628],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Achieving net-zero emissions with modular nuclear reactors<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n