“Nuclear power in the near future of the energy transition” – AIN Webinar
This is a report on the last AIN (Associazione Italiana Nucleare) webinar, written by the Italian Nuclear Association and translated by ENS.
The webinar “Nuclear power in the near future of the energy transition“, organised by the Italian Nuclear Association (AIN), took place on Friday 7 May.
The event, which was attended by about a hundred people, hosted several speakers and presentations: Dr. Stefano Monti (Head of the Department for the Development of Nuclear Technologies at the International Atomic Energy Agency) Prof. Marco Ricotti (Polytechnic University of Milan and ENS High Scientific Council Member) and Prof. Emilio Minguez Torres, (ENS President).
The main topic of the webinar has been the development of small modular reactors and advanced reactors (so-called IV Generation) and their potential use to promote the decarbonisation of the energy sector by 2050.
Dr. Monti showed how many projects of this type of reactors are currently under discussion and how these projects are globally attracting wide interest, to provide clean and reliable electricity as well as other services such as the desalinization or the production of heat and hydrogen.
However, their effective commercial availability in the short term (by the end of this decade) and their economic competitiveness are not obvious and require a favorable energy policy, financial commitments and industrial efforts aimed at standardization.
Prof. Ricotti highlighted how Italian industry and research have, for several decades, played a leading role in the design and development of advanced reactors, including the ISIS and Alfred prototypes.
Finally, Prof. Minguez spoke about the process of including nuclear power in the category of sustainable finance within the European taxonomy and the importance of nuclear power in achieving the climate goals set for 2050.
In his opening speech and conclusions, the AIN President, Umberto Minopoli, repeatedly stressed the need to reopen the discussion on nuclear power without taboos, in the light of global technological developments and energy and climate policy.
“Reopening the debate – said Minopoli – does not mean discussing possible locations, but creating the conditions for Italian industry and research to be fully included in the international competition for the development of modular and advanced reactors“.
Mr. Minopoli further stated that the global dimension of the climate challenges requires a global solution and consistent and coordinated efforts at the international level. So, the nuclear sector should be equipped with legislative and financial tools that can keep it competitive in the international arena, beyond the country’s specific energy strategy choices.
Original report available online on AIN Website (Italian).
Full webinar available online on AIN YouTube Channel.