nucleareurope announces upcoming Compass Lexecon report at Hungarian presidency event
On 24 September 2024, nucleareurope Director General Yves Desbazeille gave a keynote speech at a workshop organised by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, on the topic of the nuclear workforce and skills management in the European Union. On this occasion, he announced the upcoming publication of a Compass Lexecon report on the role of nuclear in a low-carbon Europe, which will showcase the benefits of nuclear for the EU’s energy transition.
The report compares three nuclear scenarios for the EU: the first follows a ‘business-as-usual’ approach leading to 100 Gigawatt installed nuclear capacity in 2050. The second follows the Nuclear Alliance of member States’ objective of reaching 150 Gigawatt of installed nuclear capacity by 2050; and the third looks at a more ambitious objective of 200 Gigawatt of installed nuclear capacity in 2050, which could be reached through a change of paradigm in the EU.
“The report clearly shows that investing now to develop nuclear capacity will be key in supporting faster decarbonisation in the EU at a lower cost, with these benefits extending well beyond 2050” said Yves, outlining the key takeaways from the study. “Additional nuclear will also provide a more secure supply of energy and help reduce the EU’s reliance on hydrogen imports, altogether supporting the EU’s industrial competitiveness.”
Adding that the full report would be unveiled in the coming weeks, Yves highlighted the necessity to mobilise all available means to support the development of European nuclear capacity, from the long-term operation of existing power plants to nuclear new build. In this respect, empowering the nuclear workforce and developing skills at all levels will be crucial.
The event, which included a keynote intervention from the Hungarian Ambassador to the EU Katalin Molnár, allowed for productive discussions on the question of the role of nuclear for the EU, and the importance of mobilising skills to support the nuclear industry now and in the future.