Nucleareurope publishes report “Pathways to 2050 – The role of nuclear energy in a low-carbon Europe”

Nucleareurope published on 10 October 2024 in Brussels the Report “Pathways to 2050 – The Role of Nuclear Energy in a Low-Carbon Europe”, conducted by Compass Lexecon.

Originally published in 2018 (and updated in 2021), the latest version of this report incorporates recent developments, including the target set by the Nuclear Alliance of Member States of 150 GW of installed nuclear capacity in the EU by 2050.

The Report highlights that aggregated electricity demand is expected to increase significantly over the next three decades, with much greater demand for flexibility due to the increase in renewable energy sources. And this is before taking into account demand for clean hydrogen, which will also lead to a further increase in demand for low-carbon electricity.

The study compares three installed nuclear capacity scenarios in 2050, namely 100GW, 150GW and 200GW. In this respect, the study clear shows how more nuclear can:

  • Enable faster decarbonisation
  • Lower costs in the long-term
  • Support security of supply
  • Reduce dependence on clean hydrogen imports
  • And ultimately support greater EU industrial competitiveness

The Report highlights how, for example, 150 GW of installed nuclear capacity in the EU by 2050 will:

  • Save around 430 million tonnes of CO2
  • Save €310 billion in total energy system costs
  • Reduce gas consumption by about 180 billion cubic metres
  • Reduce dependence on hydrogen imports by up to 33%

Europe has three major challenges which it needs to find solutions for: achieving net zero, ensuring security of supply, and providing access to affordable energy” highlights Yves Desbazeille, Nucleareurope Director General. “This report demonstrates how nuclear can help by ensuring a credible, secure & cost-efficient decarbonised energy mix whilst at the same time avoiding the lock-in of fossil fuels and CO2 emissions.”

In addition, the report looks at the potential impact of nuclear on the heat market, particularly in relation to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) which are expected to bring significant benefits in the medium- and long-term.
BulAtom, as one of the longest-standing members of Nucleareurope, fully supports and welcomes the findings and conclusions made in the report, they fully correspond to BulAtom’s vision for the development of nuclear energy not only in Bulgaria, but also in Europe.

You can read the report “Pathways to 2050 – the role of nuclear energy in a low-carbon Europe” here