Europe is facing a series of challenges which have the potential to significantly undermine its competitiveness and its ambitious Net Zero plans. Citizens and businesses across Europe are struggling with rising energy costs and energy intensive industries in particular need to find ways of decarbonising their processes at an affordable price, whilst making sure they have access to enough energy to meet their needs.

Against this backdrop, Compass Lexecon has updated the Pathways to 2050 study undertaken with nucleareurope back in 2021 and 2018 in order to incorporate latest developments, including the target set by the Nuclear Alliance of Member States of 150 GW of installed nuclear capacity in the EU by 2050.

The results of this work shows that nuclear has a key role to play in achieving net zero in affordable way whilst at the same time ensuring security of supply. Thanks to an increase in nuclear capacity, CO₂ emissions will fall faster, energy system costs will be lower in the long term, energy imports (gas, hydrogen) will be reduced and security of energy supplies guaranteed.