Merryn Somerset Webb of Bloomberg writes on the role that small nuclear power plants could play in the UK’s energy future.
- The two main political parties in Britain have promised to deliver a carbon-free grid, which is becoming increasingly difficult to deliver.
- The private sector is stepping up with advanced nuclear and small modular reactors which could be cheaper and more efficient to bring online compared to larger reactors.
- A recent analysis found that one small modular reactor factory could displace a third of current fossil fuel-based electricity generation over 15 years.
- Britain’s difficulties to decarbonize its grid highlight the importance of an “all of the above” energy approach that allows market competition to drive down costs and accelerate innovation.
“All parties are promising economic growth as the pathway out of the UK’s many problems. They might want to think again about the price of energy, how it’s the fastest path to growth, and how nice it would be to promise not just cheap but green and abundant electricity to all by 2026. With no new pylons and no black mould required.”
Read the full article here.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.
