World Nuclear Association delivers insights to the Economist Impact Nuclear Summit
The Economist Impact’s Nuclear Summit, in London, brought together nuclear energy, medical, and research experts, investors and policymakers to explore the role that nuclear energy holds in delivering energy security, resilience, and innovation at scale. Following the theme ‘Investing in atoms for independence and innovation’ the summit highlighted how nuclear technologies are used across sectors enabling energy security, healthcare access and industrial competitiveness.
Opening the event Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Global energy & climate innovation editor at the Economist, referenced the global efforts to protect our “pale blue dot” and the immense power of the atom. In this context, Vaitheeswaran asked the question “can the nuclear industry step up, or will it stumble on past mistakes?”
The Association participated in two high-level panels, a private roundtable and took the opportunity to meet with some of our members in the exhibition, including Trilitech, Steady Energy, and TUV SUD.
Roundtable discussion
World Nuclear Association’s Jonathan Cobb, Senior Programme Lead, Climate, and Raquel Heredia Silva, Senior Programme Lead, Strategic Partnerships, attended a private roundtable on “Building the nuclear supply chain we don’t have: the micro-reactor manufacturing challenge”.
The roundtable explored the challenges associated with developing fuel cycle services for reactors based on novel technologies, and potential solutions to address those challenges. While more than 70 microreactor concepts are now in development globally, none have yet reached commercial operation, and most rely on high assay low enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel that is not currently available at commercial scale.
The discussion underscored the need for aligned action from policymakers, end users, and financiers to provide investment certainty to scale up the factories, fuel services and components required for widespread deployment.
Panel - ‘Green finance: does nuclear power, which is carbon-free, belong in ESG portfolios?’
Qi Zhao, Programme Lead, Sustainability, World Nuclear Association, presented in the panel ‘Green finance: does nuclear power, which is carbon-free, belong in ESG portfolios?’, moderated by Vaitheeswaran. Zhao emphasised the role nuclear energy has in contributing to deep decarbonization, sustainability beyond climate, and also highlighted World Nuclear Association’s active work with green policy framework and global colleagues.
Another critical area of discussion raised by Zhao, was the positive position of nuclear energy in Taxonomies around the world: including China, South Korea, and Brazil. Beyond government commitments, he also highlighted the nuclear industry's engaging work with global ESG frameworks, such ISSB and GHG Protocol, and the success stories of the industry leveraging green finance tools.
Panel - “Climate deadlines: can nuclear energy deliver by 2050?”.
World Nuclear Association’s Jonathan Cobb, Senior Programme Lead, Climate, contributed to the panel “Climate deadlines: can nuclear energy deliver by 2050?”. Cobb challenged the moderator’s scepticism over whether nuclear could triple capacity by 2050, noting that this nuclear tripling goal should be put in the context of broader goals to fully decarbonize electricity supply, and meet the 2.5-3x increase in electricity demand. When asked on what changes should be implemented, he stressed the importance of moving from ambitions to action, implementing energy policy with industrial strategy to build the supply chain and achieve net zero goals. Answering a question from the audience of examples of international collaboration, Cobb pointed to the 38 nations that have now signed the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy.
World Nuclear Association looks forward to future engagement with Economist Impact events.
All photos used in this article are official event photography. Official Photos from the event can be found here on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/31344768@N03/albums/72177720333121371