Why Nuclear must account for 25% of energy mix to ensure Europe meets 2050 low-carbon target

Based On https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/opinion/nuclear-must-account-for-one-quarter-of-energy-mix-to-ensure-europe-meets-2050-low-carbon-targets/

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If Europe is serious about decarbonising its economy by 2050 then one-quarter of the electricity produced in the EU will need to come from nuclear, writes Yves Desbazeille.

Yves Desbazeille is the director general ofFORATOM, the association of nuclear energy industry in Europe.

This will ensure that citizens and industry have access to the low-carbon electricity they need – when they need it – and it will help to reduce the economic burden of the transition to a low-carbon economy on consumers.

These are the conclusions of an FTI-CL Energy Consulting study commissioned by FORATOM, the European Atomic Forum. Entitled “Pathways to 2050: the role of nuclear in a low-carbon Europe”, the study analyses how nuclear can help Europe reach its 2050 low-carbon targets.

In a nutshell

The study demonstrates the important contribution of nuclear to the transition towards a decarbonised European power system. With nuclear accounting for a quarter of the energy mix in 2050, the EU has a chance of meeting its 2050 decarbonisation targets.

Furthermore, nuclear can support variable renewable sources of energy by providing proven, carbon-free dispatchable power and flexibility to the system and reducing the system’s reliance on yet unproven storage technologies.

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For more information: Pathways to 2050: role of nuclear in a low-carbon Europe – FORATOM summary