Today, the leading countries in sustainable energy are concentrating on the development of nuclear energy. However, implementation models are changing with respect to conventional nuclear plants to make electricity production and distribution more efficient.
On the other hand, the generation capacity of nuclear plants is more than double that of conventional plants, and the carbon footprint is almost non-existent. Everything points to nuclear energy gaining more and more ground. In Europe there are currently 106 nuclear reactors distributed among 13 member states, producing about 26% of the electricity used in the European Union.
In the United States, currently the largest producer of nuclear energy, there are 92 nuclear reactors located in 53 nuclear power plants in 28 states. This produces 771,638 GW per hour (according to 2021 statistics), which represents 18.9% of the energy used in the country. This represents practically half of the energy not derived from fossil fuels.
As part of the plan to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050, the UK is focused on replacing fossil fuel with renewables, nuclear power and hydrogen. Currently, 16% of the energy produced in the country is nuclear energy, while 40% is still fossil energy, mainly gas. By 2026, a new nuclear power plant, the first in 30 years, currently under construction in Somerset, is expected to produce 4% of the country’s power.
Nuclear plants require a higher initial capital investment than conventional plants, and also require the implementation of higher safety measures. However, the energy density produced (i.e. the ratio of the amount of energy produced to the amount of fuel) and the slightly lower fuel costs make it a competitive option. The most ambitious nuclear energy project to date is the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, better known as ITER.