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For the French, nuclear power plants are an important building block in decarbonising the energy system and meeting climate targets. (Image: EDF)
Stockholm (energate) - On the sidelines of the Council of Energy Ministers in Stockholm, ministers from eleven countries committed themselves in a joint declaration to jointly promote new nuclear power plants. They are also considering small, modular plants known as small modular reactors (SMRs). They also want to cooperate more closely along the entire nuclear supply chain.
The initiative was taken by French Energy Minister Agnès-Pannier Runacher. "Nuclear energy is one of many tools to achieve our climate goals, provide base-load electricity and ensure security of supply," she said. The aim of the cooperation is to promote research and innovation, as well as to help establish "uniform safety rules in line with international best practice".
Nuclear power to contribute to decarbonisation
With the Nuclear Alliance, the eleven signatory states want to send a political signal to the EU Commission that nuclear energy has a role to play in decarbonisation alongside renewable energies. The aim is to ensure that nuclear energy is given greater consideration in all legislative texts under discussion in the European institutions. French energy minister Pannier-Runacher spoke of the need to work on a regulatory framework that would allow nuclear energy to play its full role in the decarbonisation of the European economy "without putting it in opposition to renewables".
For example, Pannier-Runacher wants the EU Commission to include nuclear energy in the list of energy sources for the production of "green" hydrogen. According to the criteria for green hydrogen presented by the EU Commission on 13 February in a supplementary regulation to the 2018 Renewable Energy Directive, hydrogen from nuclear energy is considered non-renewable. As such, it cannot be counted as contributing to the 45 per cent renewable energy target for 2030. However, the additionality criterion does not apply to France, where only green electricity from additional solar and wind power plants can be used to produce electrolysis hydrogen. This is due to the low CO2 intensity of electricity produced in France. /rl
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