Facing climate change issues, utilities are looking for long-term strategies to optimize their investments and manage uncertainties – like fossil fuel costs and CO2 price. This goal is reachable with an optimal combination of AREVA’s nuclear and renewable energy technologies.

To learn more about the challenges of climate change and AREVA’s solutions for sustainable power generation, including information on a Clean Energy Park for New Brunswick check here.

By Curtis Roberts

When you’re hard about the task creating an industry from scratch, it’s good to pause on occasion and see where you are.

William Pentland provides such a snapshot in his Forbes “Clean Beta” post yesterday about the slow pace of the U.S. offshore wind industry, and its potential momentum. He says,

“While Europe has installed nearly 1,000 wind turbines offshore since Denmark built the world’s first offshore wind farm in 1991, the U.S. has not installed a single offshore wind turbine.

That is likely to change soon.”

read more…

The AREVA North America Next Energy Blog will provide special on-the-ground coverage with live blogging from AREVA representatives and others at the 21st World Energy Congress in Montreal this week. Posts will include updates from Montreal, a focus on energy issues for the host country Canada, a feature on AREVA CEO Anne Lauvergeon as a keynote speaker, and what role AREVA has to play in creating a sustainable energy future.

Every three years, the international energy community assembles for a world congress. The event will bring together more than 3,500 top world leaders in the all energy fields, including major players from industry, governments, and international organization, as well as media, universities, and energy industry associations.

The event is put together by the World Energy Council (WEC), an international organization that includes all forms of energy, such as coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, hydro and renewables. Its members hail from nearly 100 countries, including the world’s largest energy consumers and producers.

The mission of WEC is “to promote the sustainable supply and use of energy for the greatest benefit of all people.”

Stay tuned here for updates throughout the week.

In an announcement concerning the Nuclear Energy Technology Roadmap published today, the International Energy Agency declared that “nuclear energy is one of the key low-carbon energy technologies.”

As part of the IEA scenario to reach a 50% cut in energy-related CO2 emissions by 2050, the organization has proposed that nuclear energy capacity grow threefold, to 1,200 GWe, providing 24% of world electricity production in 40 years time. The IEA described this growth as “ambitious but achievable.”

The press release notes that challenges remain to this expansion, including policy, financial, and public acceptance, but “the roadmap finds that nuclear power is a mature, low-carbon technology that is ready to expand rapidly over the coming decades. The latest reactor designs, now under construction around the world, build on over 50 years of technology development. The roadmap notes that these designs will need to be fully established as reliable and competitive electricity generators over the next few years if they are to become the mainstays of nuclear expansion after 2020.”

While it is not summer solstice quiet yet, it is Global Wind Day. As part of an event designed to raise worldwide awareness of the benefits of wind energy, the American Wind Energy Association is encouraging people to learn more about this renewable energy source. More info here.

Offshore Wind Turbine

For another look at wind, this video offers a great view of the offshore, 5 megawatt wind turbine developed and built by AREVA. As part of our commitment to a portfolio of CO2-free energy solutions, AREVA recently confirmed its commitment to developing this important, renewable energy source.

“Energy Renewal”
Finally, a call to action for Americans to take responsibility for energy use and our energy future from some of the nations most prominent figures in energy; Dr. Gordon Bjorkman from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mike Wallace Chairman of Unistar Nuclear Energy, Vice Admiral John Grossenbacher, Directory Idaho National Laboratory, and Ellen Vancko of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
– from energyontrial.com

“Future Demand”
The U.S. will need 25% more electricity by 2030, how? Americans plan to reduce automobile emission with electric cars, but what will power them? President of the Nuclear Energy Institute, Marv Fertel, Theodore Roosevelt IV, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, and others raise these questions for American energy future.
– from energyontrial.com

“Considering New Nuclear”
House Minority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Stewart Brand, AREVA nuclear engineer Ben Grambeau, and Christine Todd Whitman are part of the discussion on new nuclear reactors construction for the U.S. and what it means to be a leader in nuclear innovation and construction again.
– from energyontrial.com

“Energy in the Future”
This clip features Patrick Moore, the Department of Energy Deputy Secretary Daniel Poneman, and Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers on America’s growing energy demands and the need to meet this demand with clean energy technology, including nuclear and renewable energy.
– from energyontrial.com

We would like to highlight the “Energy on Trial” project. This is a documentary that “tackles a subject as dear and essential to us as the air we breathe and the nourishment we require. Without energy, we are doomed. But the way much of it is produced is terminally damaging to our environment, and to our health.” We are going to highlight some interesting segments from the documentary over the next few days.
– from energyontrial.com