Assessments of the Potential Role of Nuclear Energy in National Climate Change Mitigation Strategies

Closed for proposals

Project Type

Coordinated Research Project

Project Code

I12006

CRP

2139

Approved Date

22 April 2016

Status

Closed

Start Date

17 October 2016

Expected End Date

16 October 2019

Completed Date

27 March 2020

Participating Countries

Ghana
Poland
Türkiye

Description

This CRP will coordinate research efforts by Member States, supported by in-house activities, on the assessment of the potential role of nuclear energy in mitigating climate change. It will draw on background material prepared by the IAEA, scientific and technical support and on the experience of the Member States in decarbonizing their electricity projects. The investigations will focus on the assessment and effectiveness of support mechanisms (ie. domestic policies, carbon pricing) recognized under the “Paris Agreement” in order to identify key barriers and develop approaches to address investments in low carbon technologies, including nuclear. A set of analytical IAEA tools or Member States’ own models or tools will be combined, tested and applied to assess the potential role of low carbon electricity generation projects, including nuclear, within long-term national GHG mitigation strategies. The variety of starting points and national circumstances will provide invaluable opportunity to both developed and developing Member States to share information in identifying least-cost decarbonisation strategies.

Objectives

Developed and developing states need to design the implementation of INDCs and prepare their mid-century, long-term low GHG emissions development strategies under the PA of UNFCCC. The overall objective of the CRP is to support Member States in national level evaluations on the potential role of nuclear power in GHG mitigation in preparation of their low GHG emissions development strategies under the PA. Another important objective is to develop analytical framework for the assessment of support mechanisms to address investments in low carbon technologies, including nuclear.

Specific objectives

To assist Member States in evaluating support policies (national and international) for low carbon projects.

To develop and test analytical / methodological frameworks for comparing low carbon energy supply options, including nuclear power, under various policy support mechanisms.

To generate information package for Member States in preparation of their low GHG emissions development strategies under the PA.

Impact

The CRP has had an impact across several dimensions:
• Capacity building: the CRP supported countries in strengthening national expertise to assess mitigation strategies and the role of nuclear power and other low carbon energy options. This included support in developing analytical frameworks tools, which can be applied to future energy planning and strategy development.
• Analysis and dissemination: the CRP participants produced high quality analysis on the role of nuclear power in climate change mitigation and disseminated their findings in scientific and policy discussions nationally and internationally.
• Policy development: while all CRP research teams contributed to broader policy relevant discussions, a number of teams have already provided direct input to the national policy process, contributing to official energy and climate strategy development.

Additional impacts are expected from further outreach by MSs and IAEA (including publication and dissemination of IAEA TECDOC — see below).

Relevance

Over the course of the CRP, the work became progressively more relevant both within the Agency and more broadly for Member States and the international community. During this period (2017-2019 and beyond), the Agency increasingly engaged in high-profile activities connected to the role of nuclear power in climate change mitigation including: the GC62 Scientific Forum on Nuclear Technology for Climate; the IAEA 2019 International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power; the planned GC64 Scientific Forum on Nuclear Power and the Clean Energy Transition; and UNFCCC Conferences of the Parties (COPs) and UN activities related to the Sustainable Development Goals. One of the first actions of DG Rafael Grossi to attend COP25 reinforced the relevance of the CRP and related activities.

The overall objective of the CRP also addressed the goals of IAEA Project 1.3.2.2 (Topical issues related to sustainable energy development) of Subprogramme 1.3.2 (Energy
Economy Environmental Analysis), to support Member States with, among others, reports and other information material on the potential contribution of nuclear energy to the climate
change mitigation objectives of the Paris Agreement and case studies analysing sustainable energy and low carbon energy development strategies focusing on the potential for nuclear energy. Specifically, the CRP supported national experts to conduct case studies on low carbon energy development strategies, consistent with the goals of Paris Agreement and national mitigation policies, with a focus on the potential role of nuclear energy.

More broadly, the relevance of climate action continues to be reiterated by numerous stakeholders internationally, with increasing urgency. The concluding RCM coincided with the UN Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit, while more than 100 countries have now adopted net zero emission targets for 2050. The role of nuclear power in climate change is explicitly mentioned by 13 countries in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted under the Paris Agreement; this is expected to increase as countries update their NDCs in 2020.

CRP Publications

Type

Report

Year

2019

Publication URL

https://mzoe.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/UPRAVA%20ZA%20ENERGETIKU/Strategije,%20planov…

Description

First Draft of the Integrated Energy and Climate Plan for the Period from 2021 to 2030

Country/Organization

Croatia

Type

Conference Proceedings

Year

2019/2020

Publication URL

https://event.do/iaea/a/#/events/3297/f/18718

Description

Güngör, G., "The Role of Nuclear Energy in Transition Pathways of Turkish Energy Sector" in Proceedings of the 2019 International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power, IAEA, Vienna (2020).

Country/Organization

Turkey

Type

Conference Paper

Year

2019

Description

"Measuring the Contribution of Nuclear Energy to Reducing GHG Emissions. Case of Poland", Conference of the International Input-Output Association, Glasgow, UK.

Country/Organization

Poland

Type

Conference Proceedings

Year

2019/2020

Publication URL

https://event.do/iaea/a/#/events/3297/f/18718

Description

Nyasapoh, M.A., Debrah, S.K., "Nuclear Power Contribution Towards a Low Carbon Electricity Generation for Ghana" in Proceedings of the 2019 International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power, IAEA, Vienna (2020).

Country/Organization

Ghana

Type

Report

Year

2019

Publication URL

https://mzoe.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/UPRAVA%20ZA%20ENERGETIKU/Strategije,%20planov…

Description

Green Book of National Energy Strategy

Country/Organization

Croatia

Type

Book

Year

2019

Description

Plich M., Konopielko L., Pupovac, D., "Measuring Impact of Nuclear Power on CO2 Emissions: Case of Poland", University of Lodz Publishigin

Country/Organization

Poland

Type

Conference Proceedings

Year

2019

Publication URL

http://www.pns.org.pk/watcon.html

Description

Ahmad, I., Latif, M., Mustafa, G., Saleemullah, M., “Water Resources of Pakistan: Demand, Supply, and Future Challenges”, in Proceedings of Conference on Water Problems in Pakistan and their Solutions, Pakistan Nuclear Society, Islamabad, Pakistan (15-16 April, 2019) (in press).

Country/Organization

Pakistan

Type

Report

Year

2019

Publication URL

https://esavjetovanja.gov.hr/Econ/MainScreen?EntityId=10936

Description

Draft National Energy Strategy

Country/Organization

Croatia

Type

Conference Presentation

Year

2019

Publication URL

http://iceassm2019.iosea.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ICEASSM2019FinalProgram.…

Description

Nyasapoh, M.A, Debrah, S.K., Anku, N.E.L, Yamoah, S., "Estimation of CO2 Emissions of Fossil Fuelled Power Plants in Ghana: Message Analytical Model", International Conference on Engineering, Applied Sciences and System Modeling (ICEASSM'2019), 11-13 December 2019.

Country/Organization

Ghana

Type

Report

Year

2019

Publication URL

https://mzoe.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/UPRAVA%20ZA%20ENERGETIKU/Strategije,%20planov…

Description

White Book of National Energy Strategy

Country/Organization

Croatia

Type

Article

Year

2018

Description

Plich M., Konopielko L., "Modeling Economic Impact of Nuclear Power Plant for Poland", Economic and Social Development - Building Resilient Society, ss: 582-589.

Country/Organization

Poland

Type

Conference Proceedings

Year

2019/2020

Publication URL

https://event.do/iaea/a/#/events/3297/f/18718

Description

Muradyan, R., "Creation of Energy Policies in Armenia that Achieve the Climate Change" in Proceedings of the 2019 International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power, IAEA, Vienna (2020).

Country/Organization

Armenia

Type

Thesis

Year

2019

Description

E.Neniškis, "The role of active energy consumers in least-cost pathways for deep decarbonization of the energy sector"

Country/Organization

Lithuania

Type

Article

Year

2019

Publication URL

https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/9/1714

Description

Slipac, G., Zeljko, M., Šljivac, D., "Importance of Reliability Criterion in Power System Expansion Planning", Energies 12(9):1714

Country/Organization

Croatia

Type

Conference Proceedings

Year

2019/2020

Publication URL

https://event.do/iaea/a/#/events/3297/f/18718

Description

González, P., Nagel, B., Ribeck, G., "Nuclear Energy and Climate Change Policies in Chile" in Proceedings of the 2019 International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power, IAEA, Vienna (2020).

Country/Organization

Chile

Type

Conference Paper

Year

2018

Publication URL

http://www.inforum2018.uni.lodz.pl

Description

"Inclusion of a New Economic Activity into a Multisectoral Model: Nuclear Power in Poland", Inforum World Conference, Lodz, Poland.

Country/Organization

Poland

Type

Conference Paper

Year

2018

Publication URL

https://www.iioa.org/conferences/26th/papers/files/3309.pdf

Description

Plich, M., "Assessment of the potential of nuclear energy in reducing CO2 emissions using multisectoral macroeconomic model - the case of Poland", conference of the International Input-Output Association, Juiz de Fora, Brazil.

Country/Organization

Poland

Type

Conference Presentation

Year

2018

Description

Nguyen, A.T., "Wind power market potential and its development in Vietnam", Informationsveranstaltung Windenergie in Vietnam, Hamburg, Germany.

Country/Organization

Viet Nam

Type

Technical Document

Year

2019

Description

Debrah, S.K., Nyasapoh, M.A., Salifu, A., Attieku, S., Darkwah, K.O.M., Ennison, I., Ameyaw, F., Yamoah, S., "Electricity Assessment for Ghana’s Nuclear Power Programme", Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Organization (GNPPO), NPID-10000-TEC-004. Revision D1

Country/Organization

Ghana

Type

Conference Presentation

Year

2017

Description

Nguyen, A.T., "Current RE Market Opportunities in Vietnam", Taiwan Green Energy Exposition, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Country/Organization

Viet Nam

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