Technology Roadmap: Nuclear Energy

Almost one quarter of global electricity could be generated from nuclear power by 2050, making a major contribution to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. This is the central finding of the Nuclear Energy Technology Roadmap, published today by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). Such an expansion will require nuclear generating capacity to more than triple over the next 40 years, a target the roadmap describes as ambitious but achievable.



Table of Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Key findings
Table of contents
Introduction
The Energy Technology Roadmaps project
Opportunities and challenges for nuclear expansion
Purpose of the roadmap
The status of nuclear energy today
Managing the existing nuclear fleet
Nuclear energy technology for near-term deployment
Status of the nuclear fuel cycle
The management of radioactive waste
Nuclear energy deployment to 2050: actions and milestones
Nuclear capacity growth in the BLUE Map scenario
The outlook for nuclear expansion to 2020
Preparing for more rapid deployment after 2020
Nuclear fuel cycle requirements
Technology development and deployment: actions and milestones
Evolutionary development of current technologies
Implementing solutions for disposal of spent fuel and high-level waste
Developing a new generation of nuclear technologies
Status and potential of small modular reactors
Nuclear energy as an alternative for heat and transport
Policy, financial and social aspects: actions and milestones
The importance of strong policy support
Establishing the legal and regulatory frameworks
Financing new nuclear power plants
Involvement of civil society
Capacity building in countries planning a nuclear programme
Non-proliferation, physical protection and security of nuclear fuel supply
Roadmap action plan
Actions led by governments and other public bodies
Actions led by the nuclear and electricity supply industries
Actions led by other stakeholders
References