scholarly journals Nuclear Power in Poland’s Energy Transition

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3626
Author(s):  
Janusz Gierszewski ◽  
Łukasz Młynarkiewicz ◽  
Tomasz R. Nowacki ◽  
Jacek Dworzecki

This article presents an analysis of the future role of nuclear energy in Poland’s path to a low-carbon energy transition. The arguments in favor of implementing nuclear power are to be found on three levels: energy security, economic competitiveness and energy efficiency, and lastly, limited environmental impact. In the process of creating this study, the methodology in the field of security sciences was used, including its interdisciplinary approach. Theoretical methods were used, e.g., critical analysis of scientific sources and comparison of statistical data and empirical methods, e.g., document analysis, comparative analysis. The article is based on an analysis of the literature on the subject, applicable legal acts, and government strategies in the field of energy security. The article contains the results of research no. BS.21.6.13 carried out by a research team from the Pomeranian Academy in Słupsk that allowed to indicate the probable directions of transformation of the energy sector in Poland in the next decade.

Author(s):  
Kathleen Araújo

Nuclear energy is one of the most significant sources of low carbon energy in use in the power sector today. In 2013, nuclear energy represented roughly 11% of the global electricity supply, with growth projected to occur in China, India, and Russia (International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA], n.d.a; NEA, n.d.). As a stable source of electricity, nuclear energy can be a stand-alone, base-load form of electricity or complement more variable forms of low carbon energy, like wind and solar power. Among the energy technologies considered here, nuclear energy is complex not only for the science behind it, but also for its societal, environmental, and economic dimensions.This chapter explores the rapid rise of French nuclear energy in the civilian power sector. It considers what a national energy strategy looks like under conditions of high concern about energy supply security when limited domestic energy resources appear to exist. The case reveals that centralized planning with complex and equally centralized technology can be quite conducive to rapid change. However, continued public acceptance, especially for nuclear energy, matters in the durability of such a pathway. France is a traditional and currently global leader in nuclear energy, ranking the highest among countries for its share of domestic electricity derived from nuclear power at 76% of total electricity in 2015 (IAEA, n.d.b). France is highly ranked for the size of its nuclear reactor fleet and amount of nuclear generation, second only to the United States. In 2016, this nation of 67 million people and economy of $2.7 trillion had 58 nuclear power reactors (CIA, n.d.; IAEA, n.d.b). Due to the level of nuclear energy in its power mix, France has some of the lowest carbon emissions per person for electricity (IEA, 2016a). France is also one of the largest net exporters of electricity in Europe, with 61.7 TWh exported (Réseau de Transport d’électricité [RTE], 2016), producing roughly $3.3 billion in annual revenue (World Nuclear Association [WNA], n.d). This European country has the largest reprocessing capacity for spent fuel, with roughly 17% of its electricity powered from recycled fuel (WNA, n.d.).


Nuclear Law ◽  
2022 ◽  
pp. 271-298
Author(s):  
Sama Bilbao y Leòn ◽  
John C. H. Lindberg

AbstractAfter decades of mostly rhetoric on climate change, robust and urgent actions must be taken to avoid its worst effects. However, the energy transition discourse reflects an anti-humanitarian philosophy that will undermine any serious efforts of achieving decarbonisation, as well as merely entrenching already-existing global inequalities. The potential of nuclear power for radically reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been well-explored. However, to date, few attempts have been made to fully discern the broader positive impacts nuclear technology can have on achieving sustainable and equitable development. Nuclear science and technology have broad applications and should be placed at the centre of policies aimed at combatting energy poverty, reducing air pollution, providing clean water, addressing food insecurity, or fulfilling any other of the United Nations’ 17 SDGs. This chapter explores the centrality of energy in ensuring sustainable development, a just energy transition, and the importance of nuclear energy, which goes far beyond simply delivering low-carbon electricity.


Author(s):  
Michael R. Davidson ◽  
Fredrich Kahrl ◽  
Valerie J. Karplus

The authors propose a general taxonomy of the political economy challenges to wind power development and integration, highlighting the implications in terms of actors, interests, and risks. Applying this framework to three functions in China’s electricity sector—planning and project approval, generator cost recovery, and balancing area coordination—the authors find evidence of challenges common across countries with significant wind investments, despite institutional and industry characteristics that are unique to China. The authors argue that resolving these political economy challenges is as important to facilitating the role of wind and other renewable energies in a low-carbon energy transition as providing dedicated technical and energy policy support. China is no exception.


Author(s):  
Kathleen Araújo

The world is at a pivotal crossroad in energy choices. There is a strong sense that our use of energy must be more sustainable. Moreover, many also broadly agree that a way must be found to rely increasingly on lower carbon energy sources. However, no single or clear solution exists on the means to carry out such a shift at either a national or international level. Traditional energy planning (when done) has revolved around limited cost projections that often fail to take longer term evidence and interactions of a wider set of factors into account. The good news is that evidence does exist on such change in case studies of different nations shifting toward low-carbon energy approaches. In fact, such shifts can occur quite quickly at times, alongside industrial and societal advance, innovation, and policy learning. These types of insights will be important for informing energy debates and decision-making going forward. Low Carbon Energy Transitions: Turning Points in National Policy and Innovation takes an in-depth look at four energy transitions that have occurred since the global oil crisis of 1973: Brazilian biofuels, Danish wind power, French nuclear power, and Icelandic geothermal energy. With these cases, Dr. Araújo argues that significant nationwide shifts to low-carbon energy can occur in under fifteen years, and that technological complexity is not necessarily a major impediment to such shifts. Dr. Araújo draws on more than five years of research, and interviews with over 120 different scientists, government workers, academics, and members of civil society in completing this study. Low Carbon Energy Transitions is written for for professionals in energy, the environment and policy as well as for students and citizens who are interested in critical decisions about energy sustainability. Technology briefings are provided for each of the major technologies in this book, so that scientific and non-scientific readers can engage in more even discussions about the choices that are involved.


Author(s):  
Muntasir Murshed ◽  
Zahoor Ahmed ◽  
Md Shabbir Alam ◽  
Haider Mahmood ◽  
Abdul Rehman ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binu Parthan ◽  
Marianne Osterkorn ◽  
Matthew Kennedy ◽  
St. John Hoskyns ◽  
Morgan Bazilian ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamah Alsayegh

Abstract This paper examines the energy transition consequences on the oil and gas energy system chain as it propagates from net importing through the transit to the net exporting countries (or regions). The fundamental energy system security concerns of importing, transit, and exporting regions are analyzed under the low carbon energy transition dynamics. The analysis is evidence-based on diversification of energy sources, energy supply and demand evolution, and energy demand management development. The analysis results imply that the energy system is going through technological and logistical reallocation of primary energy. The manifestation of such reallocation includes an increase in electrification, the rise of energy carrier options, and clean technologies. Under healthy and normal global economic growth, the reallocation mentioned above would have a mild effect on curbing the oil and gas primary energy demands growth. A case study concerning electric vehicles, which is part of the energy transition aspect, is presented to assess its impact on the energy system, precisely on the fossil fuel demand. Results show that electric vehicles are indirectly fueled, mainly from fossil-fired power stations through electric grids. Moreover, oil byproducts use in the electric vehicle industry confirms the reallocation of the energy system components' roles. The paper's contribution to the literature is the portrayal of the energy system security state under the low carbon energy transition. The significance of this representation is to shed light on the concerns of the net exporting, transit, and net importing regions under such evolution. Subsequently, it facilitates the development of measures toward mitigating world tensions and conflicts, enhancing the global socio-economic wellbeing, and preventing corruption.


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