Europe’s Nuclear Power Puzzle

By Felicity Bradstock – Jun 07, 2023,

EU member states hold divergent views on the inclusion of nuclear power in the green energy transition, hindering consensus.
Nuclear power is seen as a potential solution for energy security and clean energy production, but concerns about nuclear waste persist.
While some countries are closing nuclear plants, others are investing in new facilities, causing further division within the bloc.

Since the European Commission stated the need for an accelerated green transition that includes nuclear power and natural gas, it seems member states are having a hard time agreeing on nuclear development. While some countries, such as Germany, are closing their nuclear plants, others, including Finland and Hungary, are developing new facilities. So, after years of nuclear power fearmongering and avoidance, where will Europe land on new nuclear development?

In 2022, the European Commission defined both nuclear power and natural gas as climate-friendly energy sources, adding both to the EU “taxonomy” rulebook from 2023 to spur ‘green’ investment in both sectors. This is a decision that was approved by the European Parliament after much deliberation from member states about how these types of energy should be defined. The EU financial services chief Mairead McGuinness explained: “The Complementary Delegated Act is a pragmatic proposal to ensure that private investments in gas and nuclear, needed for our energy transition, meet strict criteria.”

……….. Meanwhile, nuclear energy, although not a renewable source of power, is viewed as clean, as operations do not emit greenhouse gases. However, many argue that the nuclear waste it produces could be detrimental to the environment, particularly as there is no cohesive international agreement on how to appropriately dispose of this waste………..

Despite the inclusion of nuclear power in the EU rulebook under the green taxonomy, many countries continue to disagree on the use of nuclear energy and the development of new projects. And a divide means delays. ………….

While several EU states support the development and use of nuclear power as a clean energy source, others, such as Germany and Belgium, refused to classify nuclear energy as clean. Weeks later, the debate is still ongoing, with France hoping to reopen negotiations over the Green Deal law, but Germany hopes to pass the law in its current state.

………………………………………….. After over a year of debate, various EU member states can still not agree on the use of nuclear power in the region. While many view it as vital to providing energy security and producing vast amounts of clean energy, others say it is detracting from renewable energy projects, and there is still a big question about how to dispose of the potentially harmful nuclear waste. Until this issue can be agreed upon, the Green Deal law will likely remain in a state of limbo. https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Europes-Nuclear-Power-Puzzle.html
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June 8, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | climate change, EUROPE

1 Comment »

Growing up in th e 50’s & 60’s in the USA, we were told that atomic power, as nuclear power was called then, was “too cheap to meter, that it was safe, and not harmful to the environment. We now know that that is a lie. That “societal secret” is that nuclear power is too dangerous, too expensive and totally unnecessary for our energy needs. All we lack is the political will to bring about a renewable energy economy. We don’t need a “transition fuel” of natural gas or SMR, “Small Moduler Reactors,” or any other form of nuclear energy.
Go to the Website of The Solutions Project.org, and look at their plans for all 50 states and over 146 other countries on the planet.

Comment by paulrodenlearning | June 9, 2023 | Reply

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