'Clean Coal' Technologies

Burning coal without adding to global carbon dioxide levels is a major technological challenge. The greatest challenge is bringing the cost of capture and storage technology down sufficiently for 'clean coal' to compete with nuclear power.

Climate Change - The Science

Atmospheric concentrations of some of the gases that produce the greenhouse effect are increasing due to human activity and the vast majority of the world's climate scientists believe this causes global warming and resulting climate change.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Electricity

Whereas carbon dioxide emissions associated with nuclear power generation are negligible, emissions from fossil fuel power plants are considerable – resulting in environmental and health consequences.

Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles which are able to be charged from mains power have potential to greatly increase the demand for base-load power from grid systems. Development of these depends critically on battery technology.

Energiewende

Germany's Energiewende (energy transition) is a national program to change to a renewable-dominated energy system and phase out nuclear power. The government has estimated that the total cost of this could reach €1 trillion.

Energy Return on Investment

Life-cycle analysis is useful for comparing net energy yields from different methods of electricity generation. Nuclear power shows up very well as a net provider of energy. External costs, evaluated as part of life-cycle assessment, strongly favour nuclear over coal-fired generation.

Environment and Health in Electricity Generation

Environmental and health consequences of electricity generation are important issues, alongside the affordability of the power which is produced.

Hydrogen Production and Uses

Hydrogen is widely seen as a future transport fuel. Nuclear energy can be used to make hydrogen electrolytically, and in the future high-temperature reactors are likely to be used to make it thermochemically.

Mineral Requirements for Electricity Generation

Green technologies are being deployed with the aim of making modern societies more sustainable. It is therefore essential to consider the mineral resource and physical mining realities associated with the energy transition.

Nuclear Energy and Sustainable Development

Nuclear energy is a clean, sustainable energy source. It is essential for meeting the UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Policy Responses to Climate Change

Climate change is a worldwide problem and policy responses have accordingly had an international basis; the principal focus has been on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Renewable Energy and Electricity

Like nuclear power, renewable energy provides electricity without significant carbon dioxide emissions. However,  solar and wind require back-up generating capacity due to their intermittent nature.

Uranium Stewardship

Stewardship involves the care and management of a commodity through its entire life cycle.  For a mineral, this cycle encompasses exploration, mining, processing, refining, fabricating, use, recovery, recycling and disposal.