Link between target of Net Zero Carbon Emission and Nuclear Energy
Context:
- India’s economy is predicted to grow at a quick pace and rise from fifth to third place by the end of this decade, surpassing that of Germany and Japan.
- Demand for energy is fueled by economic growth, and our country’s primary energy consumption—which is currently the third-highest in the world—is growing significantly. Fossil energy is the foundation of most of this.
Reaching the goal of carbon emissions of zero:
- The use of fossil fuels plays a significant role in global warming, which is currently posing an existential threat to humanity.
- Achieving net zero emissions will need drastic and quick reductions in emissions.
- Today, there is a widespread agreement to accomplish this aim before the years 2045–2070. Restructuring energy systems at the supply and demand ends, incorporating new technology, and incurring significant costs are all part of the huge transformation of energy systems required to achieve net zero.
- Reaching net zero is far more difficult for a vast, developing nation like India.
- In order to achieve our developmental goals, per-capita energy consumption must rise significantly while we move towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
- If we are unable to overcome this dual obstacle, we will have to choose between sacrificing development or missing the net-zero target deadline, or both.
- To reach the net zero goal, energy generation from solar sources is insufficient.
- An evolved India will need between 25,000 and 30,000 TWhr of clean energy annually. This is over four times what we now use for energy.
- Theoretically, even if all of India’s uncultivated, barren land was dedicated to the construction of solar power plants—clearly unfeasible—the goal would still be far missed.
- Wind energy’s potential is significantly lower. Then, rapidly increasing the use of nuclear energy is the only option.
The importance of producing energy via nuclear power:
- As one of the safest and cleanest energy sources available today, nuclear power can successfully combat climate change. Our pursuit of a closed nuclear fuel cycle also minimises the waste problem to a very small degree.
- According to a research conducted by the Vivekananda International Foundation, which received the necessary analytical support from IIT-Bombay, scaling up nuclear energy to a few thousand GWe would seem to be the best way to achieve net-zero in a developed India.
- In terms of technology, we are able to rely on ourselves.
- Thus, nuclear energy must be a major factor in India’s development, and in order for us to do so, we must follow our own unique strategy rather than be dictated to by outside suppliers.
National multi-pronged approach for fast nuclear energy scaling up:
- The primary workhorse for base load electrical capacity increase should be an indigenous 700 MWe PHWR, the first of which is currently in commercial operation.
- Fifteen more of these units are currently being built in fleet mode. It would be wise to deploy numerous such fleets using a variety of PSUs in addition to NPCIL.
- Second, construct indigenous SMRs at many of the locations where coal facilities that are retiring in the next several decades will be clearing out.
- The experience with huge PWRs has demonstrated that importing larger units would drive up the cost of producing power.
- As the nation’s largest coal plant owner, NTPC is an obvious collaborator in this endeavour. There may be additional industrial partners involved.
- For energy-intensive businesses like metals, chemicals, and fertilisers, 220 MWe PHWR units can be provided as partially owned captive units for power and hydrogen.
- After showing a prototype, BARC’s AHWR300-LEU can also be considered for this position.
- Create a high-temperature reactor so that hydrogen can be produced directly without the need for electrolysis.
- This would make it possible to produce green hydrogen at a lower cost and lessen the pressure to electrify the nation’s energy infrastructure excessively, which would otherwise seem unavoidable.
- Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is equipped with the necessary resources.
- Accelerate the development of second and third stage nuclear power programmes to fully utilise thorium’s energy potential in line with the current intentions for a long-term, sustainable energy source.
- PHWRs: To effectively address the global climate change issue, emerging economies—where net increase in energy consumption is anticipated to be at its highest—should quickly build additional nuclear energy capacity. Our PHWRs satisfy these requirements well and are globally competitive in terms of capital cost and performance.
- These reactors could become even more appealing with the use of thorium-HALEU fuel in PHWR in terms of safety, waste management, economics, and proliferation resistance. India ought to use this chance by spearheading a significant international collaboration for worldwide endeavours aimed at tackling the issues posed by climate change.
In summary:
- By 2070, we should be producing 25,000–30,000 TWh annually, which translates to a CAGR of about 4.8%.
- This can definitely be implemented in a big, developing country like India, as long as it’s pushed as a national initiative with strong legislative backing that puts nuclear energy on an equal footing with renewable energy.
