Articles on Climate Change from World Nuclear News

The latest news from WNN on climate change and COP.

WNN: UK must act on nuclear to meet net-zero aims, review finds (13 January 2023)

Investment in new nuclear is "a no-regrets option", according to an independent review of the UK government's approach to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Its report makes a number of recommendations for the government to meet its Net Zero Strategy, released in October 2021, in which new nuclear plays a significant part.

WNN: Clean energy industries well positioned for growth in West Virginia: Bill Gates (11 January 2023)

The Microsoft co-founder and chair of TerraPower voiced his support for nuclear during a visit to a closed-down coal-fired power plant in the state, but said any decisions on future Natrium plants will depend on the performance of a demonstration plant in Wyoming.

WNN: Holtec claims SMR-160 can repurpose any coal-fired plant (11 January 2023)

Holtec International has applied for a patent for multi-stage compressors that would enable any coal-fired plant to be repurposed by replacing its coal-fired boiler with clean steam from the SMR-160 small modular reactor.

WNN: North Carolina adopts 'all-of-the-above' carbon reduction plan (4 January 2023)

The initial carbon plan sets out a path to achieve a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions from publicly owned electric generating facilities by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050 via "reasonable steps" including licence extensions for nuclear power plants and the consideration of new nuclear capacity.

WNN: Japan adopts plan to maximise use of nuclear energy (23 December 2022)

The Japanese government has adopted a plan to extend the operation of existing nuclear power reactors and replace aging facilities with new advanced ones.

WNN: Viewpoint: Bilbao y León reflects on nuclear's presence at COP27 (29 November 2022)

Sharm El-Sheikh marked the first time the global nuclear community had a large pavilion in the Blue Zone, at the heart of COP27

WNN: Bruce Power seeks partners for nuclear carbon offset protocol (16 November 2022)

Bruce Power is advancing a project to establish the necessary nuclear carbon offset protocol to allow new incremental nuclear output to be accredited for an avoided emissions benefit, to quantify and validate the vital role nuclear power plays in decarbonising Ontario's electricity sector.

WNN: Industry associations highlight key role of nuclear (16 November 2022)

Nuclear energy is playing a crucial role during the current geopolitical situation and must be included when reshaping our energy paradigm and policies going forward, the international nuclear energy industry has said in a joint statement.

WNN: India's long-term development strategy sees nuclear expansion (15 November 2022)

The long-term low-emission development strategy - or LT-LEDS - submitted by India to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) includes a three-fold increase in nuclear energy capacity by 2032 and will also explore the potential deployment of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).

WNN: Nuclear plants could safely operate for 100 years, suggests Grossi (9 November 2022)

As the nuclear sector takes its place at the COP27 gathering, the International Atomic Energy Agency's director general says that Long Term Operation (extending the lifetime of existing nuclear plants) is the "unsung hero of the fight against global warming".

Closing nuclear in Germany while increasing coal 'a mistake', says Greta Thunberg (12 October 2022)

Environmentalist Greta Thunberg said in an interview with German journalist Sandra Maischberger that she thinks it is a bad idea to close down existing nuclear power plants while increasing coal generation.

WNN: Grid connection for third Barakah unit (10 October 2022)

Barakah unit 3 is now supplying its first electricity to the UAE's grid. Barakah, the country's first nuclear power plant, is a key component of the UAE's Net Zero 2050 Strategy.

WNN: IEA sees growth in nuclear as world responds to energy crisis (27 October 2022)

The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects more than a doubling of nuclear generation by 2050, with at least 30 countries increasing their use of nuclear power, in the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 scenario of its latest World Energy Outlook (WEO).

WNN: British, French leaders in support of Sizewell C (7 October 2022)

The UK's Prime Minister Liz Truss and France's President Emmanuel Macron have both expressed their support for the construction of the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk, England, a final decision on which is expected in the coming weeks.

WNN: US initiative aims to help find best decarbonisation fit (6 October 2022)

A tool provided by a new multi-disciplinary initiative led by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) aims to support communities and economies looking to transition to carbon-free energy in making informed energy choices that are right for their time, place and community.

WNN: Brookfield sees new dawn for nuclear (3 October 2022)

There is no credible net-zero scenario in which nuclear does not grow its capacity from today, global asset management company Brookfield said in a newly released White Paper.

WNN: Podcast: What nuclear industry says is needed to meet surging energy demand (1 October 2022)

Harmonisation of regulation, new financing options and proper pricing for nuclear energy were among the priorities raised at World Nuclear Symposium by senior industry figures as they considered the challenge of meeting the surging demand for new nuclear energy, and especially small modular reactors.

WNN: Ontario extends Pickering operations (30 September 2022)

The Government of Ontario has announced its support for the continued operation of Ontario Power Generation's (OPG) Pickering plant beyond its previously planned closure date. It has also told the company to reassess the feasibility of refurbishing four of the site's six units, which could enable them to operate for a further 30 years.

WNN: Microsoft to procure clean energy credits from OPG (27 September 2022)

Microsoft Canada is to procure Clean Energy Credits (CECs) sourced from Ontario Power Generation's (OPG) carbon-free hydro and nuclear assets as part of Microsoft's efforts to power its datacentres with carbon-free energy. The CEC purchase agreement is a "first" for both companies.

WNN: US partnerships boost development of hydrogen economy (23 September 2022)

Argonne National Laboratory has teamed up with Constellation Energy Corp to develop carbon-free power generation technologies, including a project focusing on hydrogen production from nuclear power plants, while Bloom Energy and Excel Energy have announced plans for hydrogen production at a nuclear plant in Minnesota.

WNN: UNECE roadmap to net-zero calls for greater use of nuclear energy (21 September 2022)

Nuclear energy plays a significant role in scenarios which achieve carbon neutrality in North America, Europe and Central Asia, according to a new report from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). If advanced reactors are successfully deployed to complement large scale nuclear reactors and there is progress in introducing low-carbon hydrogen infrastructure, then the role for nuclear energy is even greater.

WNN: Birdwatching marathon reflects biodiversity near Indian nuclear power plant (20 September 2022)

Ornithology groups have observed more than 160 species of birds around the Kaiga nuclear power plant in Karnataka.

WNN: Energy Harbor and Toledo's Great Lakes hydrogen plan (14 September 2022)

Energy Harbor has announced it is joining forces with the University of Toledo, major companies in the region and several US DOE laboratories to form an industry-led push to turn "the Midwest into a leading low-carbon fuel production centre".

WNN: US study assesses potential for coal-to-nuclear conversion (14 September 2022)

Hundreds of coal power plant sites across the USA could be converted to nuclear plant sites, providing huge decarbonisation gains as well as bringing tangible economic, employment and environmental benefits to the communities where those plants are located.