"New generation nuclear power stations might be crucial to achieving the target of zero emissions by mid-century and staving off the worst of the climate crisis, a new study published in the journal Nature Energy suggests.
Solar power and wind are key to hitting this goal, but they might not be enough without major investments, or in places without much sun or wind.
To minimize the catastrophic consequences of global warming, humanity needs to keep the global mean temperature below the threshold of 1.5 C above the pre-industrial average. Crucial to achieving that is energy production reaching zero emissions globally by 2050. Previous studies have shown that by ramping up solar and wind power stations, our species can easily reduce emissions by 80 percent.
To achieve the goal of 100 percent reduction, there ought to be major expansions in energy storage capabilities and electricity transmission capabilities. This is because the wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine. If these expansions aren’t or cannot be implemented, there’s a need for more zero-carbon energy sources – and that’s where new designs of advanced nuclear power plants come in."
Note the title refers to a zero-emission world - not "net-zero", not "low-carbon", not "carbon offsets", "credits", or any of the other qualifiers renewables advocates require to justify their obsession - BM