According to a recent report published by the Global Nexus Initiative (GNI), global nuclear governance is facing unprecedented challenges as non-traditional nations provide nuclear technology to emerging countries. The report was the product of a collaborative effort from leading experts from the nuclear, energy, climate change and nuclear security industries. Contemporary governance practices adhere to a variety of safety, security, and environmental safeguards. “Control of the nuclear energy market translates into the power to set the governance agenda,” Kenneth Luongo, president of the Partnership for Global Security, said. “We cannot afford a race to the bottom in pursuit of market share in this vital area. The growth of non-U.S. and non-European nuclear reactor suppliers is a significant concern as it may impact the global leadership needed to drive forward the improvements required for the system to remain effective.” The majority of new nuclear plant construction centers on Asian and Middle Eastern nations while traditional suppliers, such as France and the United States, cede their market shares to new suppliers such as Russia and China.
Homeland Preparedness News 24th April 2017 read more »
Dave Elliott’s new book: ‘Nuclear Power Past, present and future’. This book looks at the early history of nuclear power, at what happened next, and at its longer-term prospects. The main question is: can nuclear power overcome the problems that have emerged? It was once touted as the ultimate energy source, freeing mankind from reliance on dirty, expensive fossil energy. Sixty years on, nuclear only supplies around 11.5% of global energy and is being challenged by cheaper energy options. While the costs of renewable sources, like wind and solar, are falling rapidly, nuclear costs have remained stubbornly high. Its development has also been slowed by a range of other problems, including a spate of major accidents, security concerns and the as yet unresolved issue of what to do with the wastes that it produces. In response, a new generation of nuclear reactors is being developed, many of them actually revised versions of the ideas first looked at in the earlier phase. Will this new generation of reactors bring nuclear energy to the forefront of energy production in the future?
IOP Science 24th April 2017 read more »
Nuclear power is often seen as essential for energy security and climate change mitigation. Jan Willem Storm van Leeuwen assesses the significance of these two in the long-term.
Geographical Locality Studies (accessed) 24th April 2017 read more »