Technology Plan: EU to ‘maintain lead’ in hydrogen and fusion

Spending on energy research should increase by at least 50% over the next seven years, as part of a European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SETP) announced by the European Commission (EC). The proposals, announced in Brussels on 10 January 2007, emphasise that the spending increase is necessary to “accelerate the competitiveness of low carbon technology”.

The measures will form part of an energy policy Action Plan that is expected to be adopted at the Spring Council meeting of EC leaders and EU heads of government on 8 & 9 March 2007.

Introducing a competitive, low-carbon European energy system can be achieved, according to the EC, by measures such as increasingly adapting transport to using hydrogen fuel cells and second-generation biofuels by 2030.

Also by 2030, the EC wants to boost the amount of electricity and heat produced from low-carbon sources. Completing “the switch” to low-carbon in the European energy system for 2050 and beyond could be achieved with an overall energy mix including “large shares for renewables, sustainable coal, sustainable hydrogen and, “for those (EU) member states that want it, Generation IV fission power and fusion energy”.

“The EU should maintain its technological lead in fourth generation fission nuclear reactors and future fusion technology to boost the competitiveness, safety and security of nuclear electricity, as well as reduce the level of waste,” the EC said.

The SETP formed part of a wider strategic energy review (SER) that was outlined in an EC Communication entitled An Energy Policy for Europe. The Communication was presented by EC president Jose Manuel Barroso, energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs and environment commissioner Stavros Dimas.

The SER also underlined the importance of nuclear power and said decisions on new nuclear plants and lifetime extensions could be needed to reduce dependency on imported electricity.

A “core energy objective” is for the EU to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption by 20% by 2020 to “measure progress in re-directing today's energy economy towards one that will fully meet the challenges of sustainability, competitiveness and security of supply”.

On nuclear specifically, the EC said it was for each of the EU’s 27 member states to decide whether or not to rely on nuclear power for the generation of electricity, adding: “With 152 reactors spread over the EU 27, nuclear power contributes 30 percent of Europe’s electricity today – however, if the planned phase-out policy within some EU member states continues, this share will be significantly reduced.

“To meet the expected energy demand and to reduce European dependency on imports, decisions could be made on new investments or on the life extension of some plants.

“Reinforcing nuclear power generation could also represent one option for reducing CO₂ emissions and play a major role in addressing global climate change. Nuclear power is essentially carbon emissions-free and forms part of the (EC’s) carbon reduction scenario including the objective of reducing CO₂ emissions. This could also feature as an important consideration when discussing future emissions trading schemes.”

Commenting on the proposals, ENS Secretary General Santiago San Antonio said: “Nuclear energy has been given the official recognition that it deserves as an unavoidable component of the EU’s present and future energy mix. Among major energy sources, nuclear energy is the key to helping get the EU’s security of supply and climate change objectives back on track.”

More information on the SER and a copy of the Communication: An Energy Policy for Europe can be found on the FORATOM website, www.foratom.org (link to press release and to PINC , Green Paper , Climate Change position papers ) and at the following EC web pages:

ec.europa.eu/energy/energy_policy/index_en.htm

ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_262_en.pdf

Source: NucNet