Volts Nuclear? Perhaps!
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Feb 21, 2024 Discussion with Jigar Shah on reviving nuclear power, new technologies like small modular reactors, role in decarbonized economy. Challenges in industry, integrating with renewables, American technology focus, marketplace dynamics, future prospects, workforce retention.
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Use Every Tool Available
- Keep all decarbonization tools on the table and pursue multiple clean firm technologies in parallel.
- Don’t expect any single technology to carry the whole transition alone.
Why Triple Nuclear Capacity
- Models indicate the US needs roughly 200 GW more nuclear to hit deep decarbonization targets under transmission constraints.
- That equates to roughly tripling current nuclear capacity by 2050.
The Learning Curve Advantage
- Learning curves work: repeating a standardized reactor design brings down cost and time for later units.
- The second and subsequent units at a site are materially cheaper than the first.