Sama Bilbao y Leon, director general of the World Nuclear Association, says the development of nuclear energy is "being held back because of the many misconceptions about nuclear energy." A WNA white paper suggests that global policymakers adopt a science-based risk assessment that compares risks posed by radiation to the risks associated with other economic activities when considering decarbonization actions.
The International Energy Agency's annual World Energy Investment report says energy investment should recover by 10% this year, with electricity generation receiving the most for the sixth year in a row. IEA chief Fatih Birol, however, notes in the report's introduction that "much greater resources have to be mobilized and directed to clean energy technologies to put the world on track to reach net-zero emissions by 2050."
The Illinois House has adjourned without voting on proposed legislation to keep two of the state's nuclear power plants from closing. State Sen. Sue Rezin, though, says the Illinois Senate is working on an energy bill for when the House returns next week and it could contain language to keep the plants open.
US-based GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy says a report prepared by PwC Canada indicates that a BWRX-300 small modular reactor GEH plans to build in Ontario will generate $900 million in gross domestic product. The report also estimates that the global SMR market will grow to $124 billion between 2025 and 2040.
The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak fusion project at the Institute of Plasma Physics in Hefei, China, reached a core plasma temperature of 288 million degrees Fahrenheit, maintaining the temperature for 20 seconds. EAST's achievement beats the temperature record held by the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research project since last November.
The UK government plans to heed the recommendation of a report from the Regulatory Horizons Council that calls for the Health and Safety Executive and Environment Agency to establish a regulatory framework to support nuclear fusion technology development. Amanda Solloway, UK minister for science, research and innovation, said the UK government "agrees with the RHC that the lower intrinsic hazard of the fusion process when compared to fission is an incredibly important factor in considering the regulatory framework for fusion."
The UK's Nuclear Industry Association, RenewableUK and Solar Energy UK are jointly urging Britain to clean up its grid by 2035 with new nuclear, wind and solar electric system capacity. "We know that nuclear and renewables work well together to cut emissions, and that strong low-carbon energy mix is our future," said NIA chief executive Tom Greatrex.
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