Assessing the environmental sustainability and justice dimensions of nuclear electricity under circular economy and energy transition frameworks

Journal of Cleaner Production, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 144818 - 144818

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Evaluating nuclear power's suitability for climate change mitigation: technical risks, economic implications and incompatibility with renewable energy systems

Frontiers in Environmental Economics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 3

Published: April 12, 2024

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the suitability nuclear power as an option to combat escalating climate emergency. Summarizing and evaluating key arguments, we elucidate why is unsuitable for addressing change. The primary argument centers around unresolved technical human risks accidents proliferation, which are unlikely be effectively mitigated in future. Furthermore, highlight significant cost disparities between other non-fossil energy sources, such solar photovoltaics wind power, considering levelized costs electricity. We also address incompatibility with renewable systems, emphasizing need flexibility face variable resources. Alternative reactor technologies will not available time make major contribution. Nuclear poses challenges plant operation amid change war. Ultimately, argue that motivations should explored explain continued interest some countries, supply arguments alone insufficient justify new investments.

Language: Английский

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Decommissioning of commercial nuclear power plants: Insights from a multiple-case study

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 201, P. 114621 - 114621

Published: June 5, 2024

The decommissioning of nuclear power plants is a complex and lengthy process. But so far, the 204 already closed reactors, only eleven with more than 100 MW electrical capacity have been fully decommissioned, while another 200 reactors are expected to reach end their operational lifetime in next two decades. Against this backdrop, comparative cross-country case study investigates existing structure commercial France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, U.K., U.S. investigation structured along five themes: 1) ownership plants, 2) regulation, 3) financing liability, 4) production 5) waste management. Based on thirteen factors across these themes, knowledge gaps related role government (i.e. interlinkage between decommissioning, influence regulatory framework performance, regulation management), challenges associated cost estimations, fund adequacy, liabilities, external market influences), developments emerging markets question whether rely or internal provision, specialized firms, bottlenecks supply chain) identified as central topics for further research derive best practices industry.

Language: Английский

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(Re)integrating radioactive materials and waste into a global sustainable development context

Radiation and Environmental Biophysics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 63(4), P. 519 - 536

Published: Aug. 9, 2024

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, established in 2015, aim to achieve global sustainability by 2030 through improvement environmental, social, and economic parameters. However, unlike earlier concepts such as Agenda 21 1992, SDGs overlook radioactive waste management related challenges radiation itself. First, we investigate historic consideration unexplained disappearance concepts. Then, propose amending seven address this gap. For 6 (Clean Water Sanitation), 14 (Life Below Water), 15 on Land), new or revised indicators should monitor release hazardous materials. 9 (Industry, Innovation Infrastructure), 16 (Peace, Justice Strong Institutions), (Partnerships for Goals) require additional targets integrate international cooperation social implications nuclear facilities' operation. Redefining "hazardous waste" SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption Production) "environmentally sound technologies" is necessary encompass waste. Implementing these changes demands statistical efforts, but existing monitoring infrastructure, particularly Europe North America, can facilitate this. As approaches, it crucial reintroduce into agendas, whether within themselves a subsequent framework.

Language: Английский

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Putting radioactive materials on the sustainability agenda: a report from a workshop on the sustainability of human-made radioactive materials held at the safeND Research Symposium 2023

Radiation and Environmental Biophysics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 63(1), P. 1 - 6

Published: Feb. 17, 2024

Abstract This report summarizes the findings of a workshop held at safeND Research Symposium and hosted by German Federal Office for Safety Radioactive Waste Management (BASE) in Berlin September 2023. The aimed to channel perspectives from various fields expertise discuss key sustainability concepts terms radioactive waste management. Therefore, highlights that current concepts, such as United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) well concept Planetary Boundaries, neglect challenges arising production storage human-made materials. consisted three group tasks. first attempted identifying interrelations between “sustainability” second was map global nature challenges. third took steps determine material potential planetary sub-boundary “novel entities”. All groups identified valuable knowledge gaps should be addressed future research concluded management is underrepresented these concepts.

Language: Английский

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Nuclear reactor graphite under irradiation: insights on microstructural degradation and deformation mechanisms from advanced transmission electron microscopy analysis

Carbon letters, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 18, 2025

Language: Английский

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The Future of Microreactors: Technological Advantages, Economic Challenges, and Innovative Licensing Solutions with Blockchain

Applied Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(15), P. 6673 - 6673

Published: July 31, 2024

This study details the unique advantages and challenges associated with microreactors. Microreactors offer rapid installation flexible application capabilities, meeting energy needs in remote inaccessible areas. Unlike large nuclear power plants, they can be set up start generating within a few days, resulting significant time cost savings. Their small size modular design reduce capital operational costs while enhancing economic competitiveness. However, some technical regulatory persist for widespread adoption of Licensing processes designed plants may delay Blockchain technology play crucial role overcoming these by providing transparency reliability licensing processes. The settings microreactors should carefully considered, authorities must effectively designated. Collaboration coordination are vital this process. Consequently, flexibility innovative solutions offered highlight importance future research to examine optimal conditions their use.

Language: Английский

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A comprehensive assessment on recent advancements in spent fuel reprocessing and waste management: pioneering technologies for a sustainable nuclear future

Kerntechnik, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 5, 2025

Abstract This work analyzes advancements in nuclear energy, focusing on spent fuel reprocessing and waste disposal. Key technologies such as pyroprocessing, aqueous reprocessing, the DUPIC (Direct Use of Spent PWR Fuel CANDU) process are examined for their effectiveness reducing environmental safety risks. Pyroprocessing is highlighted its ability to enhance actinide recovery reduce volume, while PUREX demonstrates high efficiencies uranium plutonium. The integration Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) chemical kinetics modeling optimizes parameters, improving outcomes. method shows potential reactor performance minimizing waste. Long-term management strategies, dry cask storage geological disposal, also explored, with heat dissipation technologies. Innovations like autonomous passive cooling antineutrino monitoring promising security. Additionally, study highlights Generation IV reactors Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) critical energy’s impact. emphasizes continued progress address technical, economic, challenges, ensuring viability energy.

Language: Английский

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The challenge of community acceptance of small nuclear reactors

Energy Research & Social Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 118, P. 103831 - 103831

Published: Nov. 7, 2024

Language: Английский

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Disaggregated Impact of Non-Renewable Energy Consumption on the Environmental Sustainability of the United States: A Novel Dynamic ARDL Approach

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(19), P. 8434 - 8434

Published: Sept. 27, 2024

While there is a vast body of literature on environmental sustainability, the disaggregated impact major non-renewable energy (NRE) consumption sustainability United States (U.S.) understudied, particularly in terms using load capacity factor (LCF) perspective. In this study, above research gap addressed dynamic autoregressive distributed lag (DYNARDL) model to analyze heterogeneous NRE U.S. from 1961 2022. Given U.S.’s heavy reliance sources, analysis provides an in-depth examination long-term effects environment. Based DYNARDL model, it found that increase one unit coal, natural gas, and petroleum reduces by 0.007, 0.006, 0.008 units short run 0.004, 0.005 long run, respectively. However, nuclear would decrease 0.007 run. The kernel-based regularized system (KRLS) result shows coal bears negative significant causal link with but no relationship gas. suggests expansion use gradually reducing utilization coal- petroleum-based forms energy, then improve quality U.S., while considering social economic implications efforts aimed at shifting away fossil fuels.

Language: Английский

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