Showing papers on "Nuclear power published in 2014"
TL;DR: In this paper, an analysis of nuclear energy diffusion of some graduated developing countries and some developing countries (Ukraine, China, Bulgaria, and India) is presented, with the depletion time of uranium using a Generalized Bass model and OECD forecasts.
788 citations
01 Jan 2014
TL;DR: The 2014 edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO) will incorporate all the latest data and developments to produce a comprehensive and authoritative analysis of medium and longer-term energy trends as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The global energy landscape is evolving at a rapid pace, reshaping long-held expectations for our energy future. The 2014 edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO) will incorporate all the latest data and developments to produce a comprehensive and authoritative analysis of medium- and longer-term energy trends. It will complement a full set of energy projections – which extend from today through, for the first time, the year 2040 – with strategic insights into their meaning for energy security, the economy and the environment. Oil, natural gas, coal, renewables and energy efficiency will be covered, along with updates on trends in energy-related CO2 emissions, fossil-fuel and renewable energy subsidies, and universal access to modern energy services.
The WEO-2014 will also provide in-depth analysis of some topical energy sector issues:
Africa: This continent-wide focus, paying particular attention to the energy outlook for sub-Saharan Africa, will include data and projections for the entire region as well as for its key energy-producing and consuming countries. Key elements for analysis will be the prospects for improving access to modern energy services and for developing the region’s huge resource potential in a way that contributes not only to regional and global energy balances but also to local economic and social well-being.
Nuclear power: Uncertainties continue to cloud the future for nuclear – government policy, public confidence, financing in liberalised markets, competitiveness versus other sources of generation and the looming retirement of a large fleet of older plants. The study will assess the outlook for nuclear power and its implications.
Energy sector investment (WEO
Special Report to be released 3 June): The analysis will provide a detailed assessment of current flows and future investment needs along the entire energy value chain, examining the scale of investment required and financing options. The report will also show how barriers to investment vary according to the strength of decarbonisation policies.
662 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a novel solution by integrating nuclear power generation with cryogenic energy storage (CES) technology to achieve an effective time shift of the electrical power output.
181 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a global LCA of the French nuclear fuel cycle was performed as a reference model and the results were compared in terms of impact with other energy sources, comparable with renewable energy.
132 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, nuclear-renewable hybrid energy systems are defined as integrated facilities comprised of nuclear reactors, renewable energy generation, and industrial processes that can simultaneously address the need for grid flexibility, greenhouse gas emission reductions, and optimal use of investment capital.
113 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of knowledge, trust, risk, and benefit related factors on public acceptance of nuclear power across 19 countries were examined, and it was found that trust in inspection authorities is crucial for the decision between opposition and reluctant acceptance.
108 citations
TL;DR: In a follow-up survey conducted in 2012, a majority of respondents were not willing to accept nuclear power as an option to help tackle climate change, despite the fact that most Australians still believed nuclear power to offer a cleaner, more efficient option than coal, which currently dominates the domestic production of energy.
97 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a unique look at safety culture across the United States nuclear power industry and take a critical step toward establishing that safety culture is empirically related to safety performance.
97 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a dynamic multi-fuel market equilibrium model that combines endogenous fuel substitution within demand sectors and in power generation, detailed infrastructure capacity constraints and investment, as well as strategic behaviour and market power aspects by suppliers in a unified framework.
85 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an analysis of 401 power plant and transmission projects in 57 countries suggests that costs are underestimated in three out of every four projects, with only 39 projects across the entire sample experiencing no cost overrun or underrun.
83 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined why after the Fukushima accident some people converted from supporting nuclear power to opposing it or became undecided, and found that changes in benefits perception were mainly responsible for people's changes in attitude toward nuclear power.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed a series of indicators to assess the electricity generation security of supply under different energy portfolios in Japan in a post-3/11 context, and four alternative scenarios were designed assuming different shares of fossil fuel and nuclear thermal power and renewables in a 2030 timeframe.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine whether international nuclear assistance is associated with the pursuit of nuclear weapons, and find that receiving technical cooperation related to the nuclear fuel cycle is a statistically and substantively significant factor in state decisions since 1972 to seek nuclear weapons.
Abstract: A growing literature suggests that nuclear assistance from other countries is an important determinant of whether states pursue nuclear weapons. Existing work does not consider, however, the most widely available source of assistance—the Technical Cooperation (TC) program administered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). IAEA assistance is an important piece of the nonproliferation regime's central bargain: member states enjoy nuclear assistance in exchange for agreeing not to seek nuclear weapons. Using a data set of TC projects since 1972, we examine whether international nuclear assistance is associated with the pursuit of nuclear weapons. We hypothesize that some TC assistance reduces the cost of pursuing nuclear weapons, making weapons programs more likely. We find that receiving TC related to the nuclear fuel cycle is a statistically and substantively significant factor in state decisions since 1972 to seek nuclear weapons, with important implications for existing theories of nuclear proliferation.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors estimate the future cost of nuclear power in France to be at least 76 €/MWh and possibly 117 € /MWh, and compare it with coal, natural gas and wind power.
TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper explored the current public knowledge of and trust in nuclear power and concluded that, compared to many other countries with nuclear power, China had a different landscape of nuclear power information, knowledge, and trust.
Abstract: To meet the increasing demand for energy, the past decade has seen the revitalization of nuclear power technologies and many countries adopting nuclear power as a priority strategy in their energy policy. However, Japan’s Fukushima nuclear crisis, following the tsunami on 11 March 2011, challenged perceptions of much of the world’s nuclear power industry – but not in China. To explain how the future of nuclear power is decided in China, this study aims to understand the role of the public in the decision-making through exploring the current public knowledge of and trust in nuclear power, about which there is limited research compared to other environmental issues. Based on a questionnaire survey in Shandong province, this study concluded that, compared to many other countries with nuclear power, China had a different landscape of nuclear power information, knowledge, and trust. This paper helps to explain why the Chinese government is able to continue the development of nuclear power, without much public ...
TL;DR: In this article, the long-term stability of spent nuclear fuel to substantial alpha-decay doses has been evaluated using XRD, transmission electron microscopy, thermal desorption spectrometry and hardness measurements.
TL;DR: Overall, the paper demonstrates that there are extensive U resources known to meet potential short to medium term demand, although the future of U mining remains uncertain due to the doubt about theFuture of nuclear power as well as a range of complex social, environmental, economic and some site-specific technical issues.
TL;DR: This paper examined risk perceptions toward nuclear power before and after the Fukushima Daiichi disaster using nationally representative survey samples of American adults, and found that risk perceptions among conservatives decreased following the incident.
Book•
17 Nov 2014
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the causes of the crisis, the performance of safety systems at the plant, and the responses of its operators following the 2011 Japanese nuclear accident, and they made recommendations to improve plant systems, resources, and operator training.
Abstract: The March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami sparked a humanitarian disaster in northeastern Japan. They were responsible for more than 15,900 deaths and 2,600 missing persons as well as physical infrastructure damages exceeding $200 billion. The earthquake and tsunami also initiated a severe nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Three of the six reactors at the plant sustained severe core damage and released hydrogen and radioactive materials. Explosion of the released hydrogen damaged three reactor buildings and impeded onsite emergency response efforts. The accident prompted widespread evacuations of local populations, large economic losses, and the eventual shutdown of all nuclear power plants in Japan. Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident for Improving Safety and Security of U.S. Nuclear Plants is a study of the Fukushima Daiichi accident. This report examines the causes of the crisis, the performance of safety systems at the plant, and the responses of its operators following the earthquake and tsunami. The report then considers the lessons that can be learned and their implications for U.S. safety and storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste, commercial nuclear reactor safety and security regulations, and design improvements. Lessons Learned makes recommendations to improve plant systems, resources, and operator training to enable effective ad hoc responses to severe accidents. This report's recommendations to incorporate modern risk concepts into safety regulations and improve the nuclear safety culture will help the industry prepare for events that could challenge the design of plant structures and lead to a loss of critical safety functions.In providing a broad-scope, high-level examination of the accident, Lessons Learned is meant to complement earlier evaluations by industry and regulators. This in-depth review will be an essential resource for the nuclear power industry, policy makers, and anyone interested in the state of U.S. preparedness and response in the face of crisis situations.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the economics of nuclear power and compared it to two other sources of electricity, natural gas and solar energy, and concluded that unless the price of oil drops substantially below current values, it would be more economically optimal to export the oil than using it for generating electricity.
TL;DR: In this article, a simulation model for Hong Kong's energy system is developed to examine the present energy structure and analyse alternative future sustainable energy strategies, and the results show that both the governmentally proposed scenario and the renewable energy alternative scenario can achieve the carbon reduction target.
TL;DR: Diaz-Maurin et al. as discussed by the authors applied quantitative decision-making approaches to compare the same fossil fuel (coal) power plants with nuclear power plants, and the DEA (data envelopment analysis) and SAW (simple additive weighting) are the methods applied.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used 19 criteria to assess whether nuclear fission power can be a part of sustainable development, and they identified the need for an independent global agency and for independent national nuclear regulatory institutions to safeguard the public interest.
Abstract: This paper uses 19 criteria to assess whether nuclear fission power can be a part of sustainable development. This yes or no qualitative evaluation is due prior to ongoing marketability assessment and promotion of nuclear power by, for example, the IAEA, the IEA and the UK government. The criteria are classified into five groups. ‘Planet’ results demonstrate that the incompatibility of nuclear expansion with electricity efficiency and full renewable power deployment largely overshadows the carbon-free steam generation of nuclear fission. ‘Prosperity’ analyses show that including rolled-off costs and risks would raise bills to heights difficult to quantify due to doubts, long-term invisibility and irreversibility. ‘Risks’ may be catastrophic and are not insurable, while weaponry proliferation adds a further dimension. ‘People’ analyses reveal that some nuclear power is affordable for present generations when many costs remain unpaid; however, developing countries cannot afford the capital costs and technology intensity, and catastrophes wreak havoc on national economies, singling out exposed communities losing their habitats. ‘Politics’ assessments demonstrate that nuclear technocracy dominates the scene in many countries; the technocrats heavily influence policy-makers, the media, and celebrities speaking out in favor of nuclear. We identify the need for an independent global agency and for independent national nuclear regulatory institutions to safeguard the public interest.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors quantified use of human and animal muscle power, wind and water power, biomass, harvested ice, fossil fuels, and nuclear power, with some consumption series extending back to 1780.
Abstract: Economic and social factors compel large-scale changes in energy systems. An ongoing transition in the United States is driven by environmental concerns, changing patterns of energy end-use, constraints on petroleum supply. Analysis of prior transitions shows that energy intensity in the U.S. from 1820 to 2010 features a declining trend when traditional energy is included, in contrast to the “inverted U-curve” seen when only commercial energy is considered. This analysis quantifies use of human and animal muscle power, wind and water power, biomass, harvested ice, fossil fuels, and nuclear power, with some consumption series extending back to 1780. The analysis reaffirms the importance of innovation in energy conversion technologies in energy transitions. An increase in energy intensity in the early 20th century is explained by diminishing returns to pre-electric manufacturing systems, which produced a transformation in manufacturing. In comparison to similar studies for other countries, the U.S. has generally higher energy intensity.
TL;DR: In this paper, a bottom-up approach was employed to better define the system, its input and output, and boundaries, and the resulting system boundary facilitates the use of the Kaya identity and the decomposition technique to identify the carbon emission streams.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors assess the prospects for SMR technology from three perspectives: the implications of the history of cost escalation in nuclear reactor construction for learning, economies of scale and other process that SMR advocates claim will lower cost; the challenges SMR technologies faces in terms of high costs resulting from lost economies of scales, long lead time needed to develop a new design, the size of the task to create assembly lines for modular reactors and intense concern about safety; and the cost and other characteristics of available alternatives compared SMR Technology.
Abstract: Small modular reactors are the latest “new” technology that nuclear advocates tout as the game changer that will overcome previous economic failures of nuclear power The debate over SMRs has been particularly intense because of the rapid failure of large “nuclear renaissance” reactors in market economies, the urgent need to address climate change, and the dramatic success of alternative, decentralized resources in lowering costs and increasing deployment This paper assesses the prospects for SMR technology from three perspectives: the implications of the history of cost escalation in nuclear reactor construction for learning, economies of scale and other process that SMR advocates claim will lower cost; the challenges SMR technology faces in terms of high costs resulting from lost economies of scale, long lead time needed to develop a new design, the size of the task to create assembly lines for modular reactors and intense concern about safety; and the cost and other characteristics – eg scalability, speed to market, flexibility, etc – of available alternatives compared SMR technology The paper concludes that the decision of the major vendors (Westinghouse and B&W) to dramatically reduce SMR development efforts reflects the severe disadvantages that SMR technology faces in the next several decades
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the current situation by detailing the existing generation mix of electricity and develop an optimization model of the power sector which aims to define the best production and investment pattern to reach the expected demand.
TL;DR: In this paper, a new decision tool is proposed to rank the alternative nuclear power plant sites in Turkey based on fuzzy entropy and t norm based fuzzy compromise programming to deal with the vagueness of human judgments.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an overview of studies carried out in their laboratory on different aspects of reprocessing of U and Th based spent fuels employing N,N-dialkyl amides as extractants.
Abstract: Reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel is vital for the long-term global nuclear power growth and is the major motivation for developing novel separation schemes. Conventionally, PUREX and THOREX processes have been proposed for the reprocessing of U and Th based spent fuels employing tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) as extractant. However, based on the experiences gained over last five–six decades on the reprocessing of spent fuels, some major drawbacks of TBP have been identified. Evaluation of alternative extractants is, therefore, desirable which can overcome at least some of these problems. Extensive studies have been carried out on the evaluation of N,N-dialkyl amides as extractants in the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle for addressing the issues related to the reprocessing of U and Th based spent fuels. Under advanced fuel cycle scenario, efforts are also being made by countries with a developed nuclear technological base to provide safe nuclear power to other countries and to minimize proliferation concerns worldwide. This paper presents an overview of studies carried out in our laboratory on different aspects of reprocessing of U and Th based spent fuels employing N,N-dialkyl amides as extractants.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors revisited the Fukushima accident to draw lessons in the aspect of nuclear safety considering the fact that the nuclear accident resulted in core damage for three nuclear power plants simultaneously and that there is a high possibility of a failure of the integrity of the reactor vessel and primary containment vessel.