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IAEA forecasts nuke power to increase
Source: Bloomberg News |
September 20, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
NUCLEAR power is set to grow over the next four decades even after Japan shuts down its reactor fleet, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Global installed capacity is set to rise to at least 469 gigawatts of energy by 2050 from 370GW today, according to the IAEA's most pessimistic scenario. Nuclear capacity may reach as much as 1,137GW in a more favorable investment climate, the Vienna-based agency said.
"We are a little bit more optimistic," said Holger Rogner, IAEA head of planning and economic studies. "There is still a case for nuclear power."
Japan has about 46GW of capacity at 50 reactors and plans to phase out nuclear power in the next three decades in response to the Fukushima Dai-Ichi reactor meltdowns last year. The IAEA, established in 1957 to promote the peaceful uses of atomic power, sees growth driven by new reactor projects in China and in newcomer nations such as Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. A gigawatt is equivalent to 1 billion watts of electricity.
The driving forces that brought about the renaissance in nuclear power - growing demand in emerging economies, energy security, elevated fossil-fuel prices and climate pressures - haven't changed, Rogner said.
"The feedback we receive is that there is no real retraction from most national power programs," Rogner said. "What we do see is that some newcomer states have a much better understanding for the need to get things right. Before Fukushima they were a little too optimistic how fast you can move forward the technology."
There are presently 435 nuclear reactors in 30 countries worldwide, according to the IAEA. Sixty-four additional nuclear power plants are under construction.
Global installed capacity is set to rise to at least 469 gigawatts of energy by 2050 from 370GW today, according to the IAEA's most pessimistic scenario. Nuclear capacity may reach as much as 1,137GW in a more favorable investment climate, the Vienna-based agency said.
"We are a little bit more optimistic," said Holger Rogner, IAEA head of planning and economic studies. "There is still a case for nuclear power."
Japan has about 46GW of capacity at 50 reactors and plans to phase out nuclear power in the next three decades in response to the Fukushima Dai-Ichi reactor meltdowns last year. The IAEA, established in 1957 to promote the peaceful uses of atomic power, sees growth driven by new reactor projects in China and in newcomer nations such as Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. A gigawatt is equivalent to 1 billion watts of electricity.
The driving forces that brought about the renaissance in nuclear power - growing demand in emerging economies, energy security, elevated fossil-fuel prices and climate pressures - haven't changed, Rogner said.
"The feedback we receive is that there is no real retraction from most national power programs," Rogner said. "What we do see is that some newcomer states have a much better understanding for the need to get things right. Before Fukushima they were a little too optimistic how fast you can move forward the technology."
There are presently 435 nuclear reactors in 30 countries worldwide, according to the IAEA. Sixty-four additional nuclear power plants are under construction.
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