Nuclear energy: quo vadis?
At this this event, Professor Ronnie Balmens and Professor William D'haeseleer from the KU Leuven analyse the contributions of the nuclear power plants and evaluate the potential of the nuclear energy. They design their lecture by taking the following questions as a basis:
How were the existing nuclear power plants integrated in the energy system of the seventies and eighties of the twentieth century? What was and is their contribution to the present overall energy supply in Europe?
What is the distinction between existing nuclear power plants (and their long-term operation) and new build? Why is there so much difference in building large units in the Western world (FIN, FR, UK, USA) versus other places (UAE, CN, KOR)?
What are the next steps in nuclear reactor technology? What are SMRs? How to distinguish between shorter horizon smaller light water reactors (comparable with present large reactors) and Generation IV or other so-called 'advanced' modular units?
What can/should be the role of nuclear in the far-future electric power system, dominated by massive amounts of naturally fluctuating renewables and short-term storage, and by extension of the overall energy economy?
What is the difference between 'safety' and 'reliability'?
What could be the role of nuclear fusion as a possible "ultimate solution"?
This event was organised by the Technological change and society interdisciplinary research cluster. To find out more about the cluster and its activities please visit our web page www.eui.eu/research-hub?id=technological-change-and-society.