The authors of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2024 the world has 408 operational reactors producing 367 GW in the midst of the 12 months, which is considerably lower than the put in capability predictions for photo voltaic by the tip of the 12 months and 5 instances lower than the overall PV capability of the world. , which is now approaching 2 TW.
The World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR) 2024, performed by French nuclear power advisor Mycle Schneider, reveals that the world’s put in PV capability has now exceeded that of nuclear power by nearly 5 instances .
“The position of an annual report resembling WNISR is to determine the principle traits which have endured over the previous 12 months and the potential developments which have damaged previous traits or just been distinctive occasions. ,” the report’s lead creator, Mycle Schneider, stated pv journal. “Furthermore, WNISR strives to determine developments that will obtain little consideration in any other case.”
He additionally stated that the WNISR confirms the traits of current years on the subject of key indicators: nuclear manufacturing elevated barely in 2023 however remained beneath the extent of 2021 and 2019; by mid-2024, the variety of working items can be at 408, yet one more than a 12 months in the past, however 30 beneath the height of 2002 as put in capability rises to a brand new document (comparatively +0.3 GW) past the 2006 document.
“Also, in the midst of 2024, there can be yet one more reactor constructed on the planet however three much less nations are constructing – US, UAE, Brazil,” he added. “That signifies that the most important nuclear working nation, the US doesn’t have a reactor below development, and no utility within the nation has filed for a development license for a big reactor. The solely software for a development license has been despatched to the US regulator for Bill Gates’s little fantasy reactor Natrium whose design shouldn’t be even licensed.
The report revealed that on the finish of June, 408 operational reactors have been producing 367 GW worldwide, in comparison with round 1.6 TW of PV by the tip of 2023 and presumably round 1.9 TW by the tip of June, given current projections from BloombergNEF and Bernreuter Researchers, which see 592 GW and 660 GW, respectively, this 12 months.
The report additionally says that solely 5 new nuclear reactors with a complete of 5 GW have been turned on in Belarus, China, Slovakia, South Korea, and the US final 12 months, including that this small development shouldn’t be sufficient to extend the capability of nuclear operation on the planet, like the opposite 5 crops with a joint. capability of 6 GW closed in Germany, Belgium and Taiwan.
“Over the twenty years 2004-2023, there have been 102 startups and 104 shutdowns,” the report stated. Of these, 49 startups are in China with out shutting down any reactors. Because of this, apart from China, there a pointy web lower of 51 items in the identical interval, and the web capability decreased by 26.4 GW.
The authors of the report additionally reported that 59 nuclear crops equal to 60 GW have been constructed throughout 13 nations on the finish of June, in comparison with 64 tasks in 2023. China accounted for nearly 46% of the overall with 27 tasks below development.
“All reactors constructed by not less than 9 of the 13 builder-countries skilled, often one 12 months, delays,” the report’s authors stated. “Of the 23 reactors documented to be off schedule, not less than 10 reported additional delays and two have been reported delayed for the primary time final 12 months.”
According to Schneider, the secret’s to research the dominating position of China and Russia. Since December 2019 and till the center of 2024, there are 35 development begins on the planet, 22 in China and 13 applied in Russia in numerous nations. “Nobody else, nowhere, no one,” he stated. “But even within the single nation that’s constructing extra, China, the nuclear growth is comparatively small. In 2023, China begins a brand new nuclear reactor, which can be greater than 1 GW, and extra of 200 GW in photo voltaic alone. Solar generates 40% extra power than nuclear and all non-hydro renewables—primarily wind, photo voltaic, and biomass—generate 4 instances greater than nuclear.”
The report additionally highlights how nuclear energy is challenged not solely by the fast development of photo voltaic and wind, but additionally by battery storage, whose prices is anticipated to lower below coal-fired and nuclear energy crops round 2025 in China. “Solar plus storage is already considerably cheaper than nuclear energy in most markets at this time, in addition to being extremely aggressive with different low-emission electrical energy sources commercially obtainable at this time,” it additionally famous. as
The authors additionally cite knowledge from funding financial institution Lazard revealed that solar-plus-storage can be cheaper than fuel peaking and new nuclear. “The aggressive value and huge availability of variable renewable power sources mixed with backup choices—particularly storage—might be a recreation changer in power coverage within the coming years. 12 months,” they additional defined.
The report additionally examines the present trajectory of so-called small modular reactors (SMRs), which promise to be next-generation crops, regardless of restricted progress thus far. “The hole between the hype about SMRs and industrial actuality continues to develop,” say the authors. “The nuclear trade and plenty of governments are doubling down on their monetary and political funding in SMRs. Currently, the truth on the bottom doesn’t replicate such efforts: with no design certifications, no western constructions, SMR tasks proceed to be delayed or canceled.
They concluded that, regardless of a typical notion that nuclear power has returned to energy, it has grow to be “irrelevant” to the worldwide market. “Solar-plus-storage could be a game-changer for adapting coverage selections to present industrial realities,” they stated.
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