50. ‘The Increasing Role of Nuclear Energy to Meet Climate Challenges’ with Rudy Shankar of Lehigh

Through pressure from federal and international governments to market forces, the move towards a carbon-free power sector seems to be on a critical path. The need to decarbonize and replace fossil fuels with cleaner energy sources is close to undeniable at this time, but as anyone who spends time in the thick of debates in the utility sector (including those taking place every day in the Energy Central Community) knows, we’re far apart from a consensus on exactly what tools are the best ones to tap into to meet these climate change challenges. And while renewable energy and energy storage are often grabbing the mainstream headlines, many in the industry find that the most important tool to tap into is one that’s been around for decades longer: nuclear energy. Nuclear energy has its fair share of detractors, from those who worry about repeats of the disasters on Fukushima and Three Mile Island to those with environmental concerns about nuclear waste to others who simply aren’t sure the economics add up to build new nuclear plants. But today’s guest on the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast, Rudy Shankar—Director of Energy Systems Engineering at Lehigh University—opined in a recent Energy Central article that it’s well past time for the U.S. power grid to embrace a renaissance of nuclear power and tap into it as the readily available, carbon-free, and economic clean energy source that it is. While Rudy understands the hesitations some feel about nuclear energy and recognizes the need for renewables to continue to grow as well, he shares with podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester the outline of why nuclear energy needs to be embraced to play an increasing role in the fight against the climate crisis. Key Links Rudy Shankar’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/rudy-shankar The Increasing Role of Nuclear Energy to Meet Climate Change Challenges: https://energycentral.com/c/cp/increasing-role-nuclear-energy-meet-climate-change-challenges Link to Energy Central Post with Full Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-42-increasing-role-nuclear-energy-meet-climate-change-challenges%E2%80%99-rudy Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: energycentral.com/user/register Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/