As the effects of climate change intensify year after year, the United States and countries around the world are setting ambitious goals to curb harmful carbon emissions that trap heat within the Earth’s atmosphere. Concurrently, more and more people have come to realize how necessary—not to mention, clean—nuclear energy really is in the fight against the climate crisis. In order to slow its most harmful effects, we urgently need to reduce carbon emissions.
When it comes to climate-friendly and reliable energy technologies, nuclear has it all. With a relatively small land footprint and ability to generate 24/7 power under any weather condition, it’s no wonder that nuclear provides almost half of our clean energy in the U.S. Evidently, nuclear energy is perfectly suited to take center stage during climate discussions.
The fall season each year comes with an influx of major climate-focused events and conferences. National Clean Energy Week, New York Climate Week, the 7th Ministerial on Climate Action, and, of course, COP28 are all just around the corner. Nuclear energy will have a presence at many of these events, but it should be a focal point.
It is abundantly clear that nuclear energy is the solution that can uniquely deliver something other generators cannot—clean energy, around the clock, rain or shine. It’s the piece of the puzzle that makes it all work.
The list of studies and reports calling for more nuclear is consistently growing. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2022 report called for a doubling of current global nuclear energy generation by 2050, and Vibrant Clean Energy found that the lowest cost scenario for a decarbonized power grid would require 300 GW of advanced nuclear. Earlier this year, both the Department of Energy and McKinsey & Company predicted that a significant increase in nuclear generation will be needed if we want to create a net-zero future.
We know that nuclear energy is a crucial asset for decarbonizing our power grid, but what really makes nuclear shine is its versatility. The IPCC 2022 report emphasized nuclear’s unique ability to decarbonize beyond the electrical power sector.
New advanced reactors are capable of decarbonizing heavy industries like transportation and manufacturing, and it can be used to produce carbon-free hydrogen. The U.S. military also has a long history of using nuclear technologies to power operations—in fact, Oklo was recently selected to provide clean electricity and steam to Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.
Additionally, more and more countries are finding that nuclear is necessary to both lower carbon emissions and ensure energy independence. Canada, Japan, Poland, and the Czech Republic (just to name a few) are all making moves to increase their nuclear capacity.
With the climate crisis upon us, it is abundantly clear that nuclear energy is a necessary component to our energy portfolio in the U.S. and around the world. Without it, our net-zero goals become less and less realistic. Starting with the event lineup this fall, policymakers and business leaders have a critical role to play in centering nuclear energy during these climate conversations. If they are truly dedicated to building our clean energy future, it's time for them to get serious and commit to making clean nuclear energy a part of the solution.
