During the SIEW Energy Insights, Dr Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of the World Nuclear Association, provided some updates on the role of nuclear energy in the post-pandemic recovery and clean energy transition.
According to Dr León, worldwide nuclear electricity generation hit a record of 2,657 TWh in 2019. Asian countries have been the main drivers of nuclear energy’s growth over the past decade. While Japan, China and South Korea are currently the top contributors, other countries like Turkey, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates already have plans to catch up.
Bridging the nuclear gap
Moderating the session, Mr Anurag Chatterjee, Regional Business Development Manager Asia Pacific, Energy and Renewables Advisory at DNV GL — Energy pointed out the discrepancy between energy demand and generation, especially among emerging markets. What role does the World Nuclear Association play in bridging that gap?
“We try to help these countries understand what nuclear can bring,” Dr León replied. “Nuclear energy can not only produce electricity. It is also the only low carbon energy source that produces low carbon heat. This means that nuclear energy can help to decarbonise oil sectors in combination with hydrogen.”
Dr León added that the heat generated can be used within the industrial sectors or even for district heating purposes.
Looking ahead, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts a six-fold increase in nuclear adoption by 2050, representing 25% of all electricity generated. Dr León is confident that a reduction in overall cost—similar to what’s happening within the wind and solar energy sectors—will lead to a wider adoption of nuclear energy.
Dr León explained: “I think each country needs to put together a long-term plan and have a strong backup baseload of low carbon electricity. It’s about optimising your resources.”
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