La situazione dell'energia nucleare nel mondo: un quadro di sintesi

2009 ◽  
pp. 19-36
Author(s):  
Maurizio Cumo
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Reactor Technology ◽  
The World ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Generation Costs ◽  
Jel Classifications

- This article gives an overview of the situation of nuclear power in the world and analyzes the problems of this source of energy from different points of view: the generation costs, fuel cycle, particularly with regard to the resources of uranium and radioactive waste, and the programs of technological development of new reactors.Key words: Nuclear energy, generation costs, uranium resources, radioactive waste, new reactor technology.JEL classifications: L94 Q40 Q31

scholarly journals Challenges in Materials Research for Sustainable Nuclear Energy

MRS Bulletin ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baldev Raj ◽  
M. Vijayalakshmi ◽  
P.R. Vasudeva Rao ◽  
K.B.S. Rao
Keyword(s):  
Service Life ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Global Energy ◽  
Environmental Friendliness ◽  
Reactor Technology ◽  
Nuclear Systems

AbstractGlobal energy demand is expected to increase steeply, creating an urgent need to evolve a judicious global energy policy, exploiting the potential of all available energy resources, including nuclear energy. With increasing awareness of environmental issues, nuclear energy is expected to play an important role on the energy scenario in the coming decades. The immediate thrust in the science and technology of nuclear materials is to realize a robust reactor technology with associated fuel cycle and ensure the cost competitiveness of nuclear power and to extend the service life of reactors to 100 years. Accordingly, the present-generation materials need to be modified to meet the demands of prolonged exposure to irradiation and extended service life for the reactor. Emerging nuclear systems incorporate features to ensure environmental friendliness, effective waste management, enhanced safety, and proliferation resistance and require development of high-temperature materials and the associated technologies. Fusion, on a longer horizon of about fve decades, also requires the development of a new spectrum of materials. The development of next-generation materials technology is expected to occur in short times and is likely to be further accelerated by strong international collaborations.

PREREQUISITES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR ENERGY IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 153-158
Author(s):  
E. V. YANUSIK ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Economic Efficiency ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
World Market ◽  
Global Energy ◽  
The World ◽  
Global Energy Consumption

The article discusses the main prerequisites for the development of nuclear energy in the global econo-my, also defines nuclear energy and discusses the structure of global energy consumption. The article proves that the crucial prerequisite for the development of nuclear energy in the world market is the economic efficiency of nuclear power plants.

Nuclear Power in Latin America: An Overview of Its Present Status

1983 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarete K. Luddemann
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Policy Concern ◽  
Alternative Sources

The pivotal role energy plays in national economics not only converts the access to sources of supply into a vivid issue of foreign policy concern, but also causes an understandable preoccupation with investment capabilities and self-sufficiency. A report prepared by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1974 predicted a bright future for nuclear energy in the i developing countries and encouraged use of this form of energy after numerous field studies.A nation that commits itself to nuclear energy by purchasing nuclear power-generating technology but not fuel cycle facilities incurs the risk of becoming dependent upon the supplier country because a quick switch to alternative sources of supply is difficult in cases of curtailment of fuel.

Non-radiological Environmental Implications of Nuclear Energy

1980 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asit K. Biswas
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Power Production ◽  
Atmospheric Effects ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Habitat Alterations ◽  
Life Problems ◽  
Nuclear Power Production

Discussions on environmental implications of nuclear energy have so far been concentrated on radiological aspects: disposal of radioactive wastes, safety of nuclear power production, safe handling of plutonium, and problems associated with uranium mining. There are, however, several environmental issues associated with nuclear power production that are non-radiological in nature: thermal pollution and attendant effects on aquatic life, problems associated with land-use requirements, aesthetic considerations, habitat alterations, and atmospheric effects. These different non-radiological environmental implications of nuclear energy are reviewed.The paper concludes that, while there are some environmental problems which exist at present, and a few more could emerge in the future, all these problems appear to be solvable with the present state of technological development. The extent of environmental degradation can be significantly reduced by appropriate design and planning.

Transmutation and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

2006 ◽  
Vol 985 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Bresee
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Closed Fuel Cycle ◽  
State Of The Union ◽  
Foreign Countries ◽  
The U.S

AbstractIn the January 2006 State of the Union address, President Bush announced a new Advanced Energy Initiative, a significant part of which is the Global Nuclear Energy Initiative. Its details were described on February 6, 2006 by the U.S. Secretary of Energy. In summary, it has three parts: (1) a program to expand nuclear energy use domestically and in foreign countries to support economic growth while reducing the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. (2) an expansion of the U.S. nuclear infrastructure that will lead to the recycling of spent fuel and a closed fuel cycle and, through transmutation, a reduction in the quantity and radiotoxicity of nuclear waste and its proliferation concerns, and (3) a partnership with other fuel cycle nations to support nuclear power in additional nations by providing small nuclear power plants and leased fuel with the provision that the resulting spent fuel would be returned by the lessee to the lessor. The final part would have the effect of stabilizing the number of fuel cycle countries with attendant non-proliferation value. Details will be given later in the paper.

An Overview of US EPA’s Current Radioactive Waste Management and General Radiation Protection Efforts

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Thomas Peake ◽  
Daniel Schultheisz ◽  
Loren W. Setlow ◽  
Brian Littleton ◽  
Reid Rosnick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Radiation Protection ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
The United States ◽  
Uranium Mining ◽  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
Environmental Standards

The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Radiation Protection Division is the portion of EPA (or the Agency) that develops environmental standards for radioactive waste disposal in the United States. One current issue of concern is the disposal of low activity radioactive waste (LAW), including wastes that would be produced by a radiological dispersal device (RDD), for which current disposal options may be either inconsistent with the hazard presented by the material or logistically problematic. Another major issue is related to the resurgence in uranium mining. Over the past several years, demand for uranium for nuclear power plant fuel has increased as has the price. The increase in price has made uranium mining potentially profitable in the US. EPA is reviewing its relevant regulations, developed primarily in the 1980s, for potential revisions. For example, in-situ leaching (also known as in-situ recovery) is now the technology of choice where applicable, yet our current environmental standards are focused on conventional uranium milling. EPA has two actions in process, one related to the Clean Air Act, the other related to revising the environmental standards that implement the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA). Separately, but related, EPA has developed over the last several years uranium mining documents that address technologically enhanced natural occurring radioactive materials (TENORM) from abandoned uranium mines, and wastes generated by active uranium extraction facilities. Lastly, in 1977 EPA developed environmental standards that address nuclear energy, fuel fabrication, reprocessing, and other aspects of the uranium fuel cycle. In light of the increased interest in nuclear power and the potential implementation of advanced fuel cycle technologies, the Agency is now reviewing the standards to determine their continued applicability for the twenty-first century.

Scenario Analysis on the Benefits of Multi-National Cooperation for the Development of a Common Nuclear Energy System Based on PWR and LFR Fleets

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Ciotti ◽  
Jorge L. Manzano ◽  
Vladimir Kuznetsov ◽  
Galina Fesenko ◽  
Luisa Ferroni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Proper Time ◽  
Nuclear Fuel Cycle ◽  
Levelized Cost Of Electricity ◽  
Base Load

Financial aspects, environmental concerns and non-favorable public opinion are strongly conditioning the deployment of new Nuclear Energy Systems across Europe. Nevertheless, new possibilities are emerging to render competitive electricity from Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) owing to two factors: the first one, which is the fast growth of High Voltage lines interconnecting the European countries’ national electrical grids, this process being triggered by huge increase of the installed intermittent renewable electricity sources (Wind and PV); and the second one, determined by the carbon-free constraints imposed on the base load electricity generation. The countries that due to public opinion pressure can’t build new NPPs on their territory may find it profitable to produce base load nuclear electricity abroad, even at long distances, in order to comply with the European dispositions on the limitation of the CO2 emissions. In this study the benefits from operating at multinational level with the deployment of a fleet of PWRs and subsequently, at a proper time, the one of Lead Fast Reactors (LFRs) are analyzed. The analysis performed involves Italy (a country with a current moratorium on nuclear power on spite that its biggest utility operates NPPs abroad), and the countries from South East and Central East Europe potentially looking for introduction or expansion of their nuclear power programmes. According to the predicted evolution of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) a forecast of the electricity consumption evolution for the present century is derived with the assumption that a certain fraction of it will be covered by nuclear electricity. In this context, evaluated are material balances for the front and the back end of nuclear fuel cycle associated with the installed nuclear capacity. A key element of the analysis is the particular type of LFR assumed in the scenario, characterized by having a fuel cycle where only fission products and the reprocessing losses are sent for disposition and natural or depleted uranium is added to fuel in each reprocessing cycle. Such LFR could be referred to as “adiabatic reactor”. Owing to introduction of such reactors a substantive reduction in uranium consumption and final disposal requirements can be achieved. Finally, the impacts of the LFR and the economy of scale in nuclear fuel cycle on the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) are being evaluated, for scaling up from a national to a multinational dimension, illustrating the benefits potentially achievable through cooperation among countries.

Nuclear Energy for the Poor

Worldview ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 12-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iqbal Akhund
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Third World ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
General Interest ◽  
Equal Degree ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The World ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Moral Doubt

The subject of nuclear energy, arousing hope and anxiety in almost equal degree, is of interest to all mankind. Of late, however, attention has focused on the implications of the spread of nuclear power and technology to Third World countries, and in that context the views of Pakistan—a developing country with similar economic compulsions—may be of some general interest.Thirty years after Hiroshima-Nagasaki one sees nuclear energy being used beneficently all over the world in research institutions and hospitals, in farms and factories. But a number of recent developments have reawakened the fear and moral doubt concerning man's capacity to make wise use of the terrible power his intelligence has unleashed: the explosion by India of a nuclear device in 1974; disclosures about the real risks of accidents in power reactors; and the fear that terrorists, political or’ criminal, may obtain recourse to nuclear bombs to further their ends.

An overview of research activities on cementitious materials for radioactive waste management

2012 ◽  
Vol 1475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoran Drace ◽  
Irena Mele ◽  
Michael I. Ojovan ◽  
R. O. Abdel Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Cementitious Materials ◽  
Radioactive Waste Management ◽  
Research Activities

ABSTRACTAn overview is given on research activities on cementitious materials for radioactive waste management systems based on the IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) held in 2007-2010. It has been joined by 26 research organizations from 22 countries which shared their research and practical activities on use of cementitious materials for various barrier purposes. The CRP has initially formulated the research topics considered within four specific streams: A) Conventional cementitious systems; B) Novel cementitious materials and technologies; C) Testing and waste acceptance criteria; and D) Modelling long term behaviour.The CRP has analysed both barrier functions and interactions envisaged between various components with focus on predisposal stage of waste management. Cementation processes have achieved a high degree of acceptance and many processes are now regarded as technically mature. A large body of information is currently available on proven waste conditioning technologies although novel approaches are continuing to be devised.Most of the existing technologies have been developed for conditioning of large amounts of operational radioactive waste from nuclear power plants and other nuclear fuel cycle facilities. However new waste streams including those resulting from legacy and decommissioning activities required improved material performance and technologies.The most important outcome of CRP was the exchange of information and research co-operation between different institutions and has contributed towards general enhancement of safety by improving waste management practices and their efficiency. The paper presents the most important results and trends revealed by CRP participants. The research contributions of participating organizations will be published as country contributions in a forthcoming IAEA technical publication.

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