December 14th, 2009 | 12:50 pm

Copenhagen and Climate Change: Chart of the Day

Germany’s Der Spiegel has a chart on their website that we think best illustrates the key role nuclear energy has to play in any climate change plan. Not only is nuclear energy baseload and reliable, but it’s also much, much less expensive:

spiegel-chart

Using AREVA’s own EPR as a baseline for the cost of nuclear energy, it’s quite clear: If we want to reduce carbon emissions responsibly, nuclear energy has to be part of the solution.

(Hat tip to Charles Barton at Nuclear Green for the link!)

  • SteveK9

    Stop saying ‘part’, you know it is the whole solution.

  • stan

    Unfortunately, if we powered the world on ERPs, we would need to build 10,000 1600MW plants operating at 90% capacity to provide the 15 terawatts the world uses– which would deplete global uranium reserves in 10 years. For Fast-Breeder Super-Phenix power plants the fuel supply is unlimited, but they are more expensive.

  • Jarret Adams

    We at AREVA do not believe nuclear energy is the only solution, but one very effective solution. As much as powering the entire world with EPR reactors is an appealing notion, it is clearly an impractical notion. But, there are few things that make nuclear energy more sustainable. One is recycling which reduces the amount of fresh uranium required and reuses material that has already produced electricity. Another effort is Gen IV reactors, which will be even efficient.

  • stan

    Unfortunately, if we powered the world on ERPs, we would need to build 10,000 1600MW plants operating at 90% capacity to provide the 15 terawatts the world uses– which would deplete global uranium reserves in 10 years. For Fast-Breeder Super-Phenix power plants the fuel supply is unlimited, but they are more expensive.