Network operator RTE locates the solution to France’s emissions problem in new Akw. If France wants to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, the country’s renewable energy sources would have to be expanded.
According to a French study, building new nuclear power plants is the cheapest solution for France to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. In any case, however, renewable energy sources would also have to be massively expanded, according to a study by the network operator RTE, which was presented in Paris on Monday. “Building new nuclear reactors makes sense from an economic perspective,” says the study.
The network operator has designed various scenarios, taking into account the economic and social consequences – from a complete phase-out of nuclear energy to the construction of up to 14 new EPR nuclear reactors and other small SMR nuclear reactors. The study does not make a recommendation. “All paths are possible, even if some are more difficult or uncertain,” said RTE chairman Xavier Piechaczyk.
“Climate neutrality cannot be achieved unless renewable energies are also massively expanded,” the study continues. This also applies to the scenarios in which new nuclear power plants are built. Even in the event of a massive expansion of nuclear energy, solar production would have to be sevenfold, and production from wind turbines would have to increase by two and a half times.
“The electricity system can achieve climate neutrality at an acceptable cost,” the authors of the study sum up. Electricity costs would rise by around 15 percent, and in return there would be no need for fuel or oil heating.
Electricity demand is likely to increase significantly
The network operator assumes that France’s electricity demand will increase by 35 percent to 645 terawatt hours (TWh) by 2050, as the share of fossil fuels will be reduced at the same time. However, a reduced energy requirement of 554 TWh is also conceivable.
However, this requires a changed way of life with more home work, less travel and less consumption. Should France invest massively in green hydrogen, energy consumption could also rise to 754 TWh by 2050.
Last week, the non-governmental organization Négawatt presented a study according to which a nuclear phase-out in France would be possible if, among other things, energy waste was combated more vigorously. For example, it suggests increasing the number of thermal insulation from 30,000 per year to 800,000 per year. In addition, rail traffic should be expanded through higher tolls.
Presidential campaign theme
The energy supply of the future has become an important issue in the French presidential election campaign. President Emmanuel Macron recently invested a billion euros in Nuclear power announced. Among other things, six small SMR nuclear power plants (“Small Modular Reactors”) are to be built for this purpose. The energy company EDF expects a prototype to be built in France from 2030.
Six further EPR reactors are also being discussed, of which the prototype in Flamanville will not go online until next year at the earliest, ten years later.
In the camp on the left, Yannick Jadot (Greens) and Anne Hidalgo (PS) are campaigning for a massive expansion of renewable energies, but without calling for a quick phase-out of nuclear energy. In France, nuclear power accounts for a good 70 percent of electricity consumption. The proportion is to be reduced to 50 percent by 2035.
(WHAT/AFP)