Technological Sovereignty and Low-Carbon Energy: Looking to Tomorrow

In recent years, almost all countries around the world have returned to developing nuclear energy despite all the talk about the “green agenda”. Participants in the Russian Energy Week session ‘Technological Sovereignty and Low-Carbon Energy: Looking to Tomorrow’ discussed what mechanisms will be used to ensure interaction between countries in this regard and how to satisfy the increased demand for energy without harming the environment.

KEY CONCLUSIONS

Nuclear energy has become popular and safe worldwide

“The ‘post-Fukushima syndrome’ [the fear of peaceful nuclear development that arose after the accident at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011] has been completely overcome. It has been overcome both psychologically and legally. I mean that the regulators [...] have included all the elements in the necessary requirements that allow us to continue to consider nuclear energy safe, comfortable, and much-needed,” Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation Director General Alexey Likhachev said.

“The Republic of Belarus is pursuing the global trends of transitioning to a green economy and low-carbon development. This is enshrined in the most important programme documents. For the energy industry, the priority objective is to meet the needs of the real sector of the economy and the population for energy resources, while maximizing its efficient use and reducing the burden on the environment,” Belarusian Minister of Energy Viktor Karankevich said.

“We need to modernize all energy systems and transform our energy markets. We need nuclear energy. We need clean energy sources […] Nuclear energy fits perfectly into our system, and I think this also concerns other regions of the world, because we need to integrate nuclear energy if we are serious about decarbonizing the economy,” Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said.

“Nuclear energy is crucial to supplying the population with energy, and by 2031, we will have tripled the use of nuclear energy […] Russia plays a special role in nuclear cooperation,” Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to the Russian Federation Pavan Kapoor said.

“The attitude towards nuclear energy has changed dramatically around the world. It has been affected by climate issues and the energy crisis. Now everyone would like to have nuclear energy,” International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy Mikhail Chudakov said.

PROBLEMS

Infrastructure constraints hinder growing global demand for nuclear energy

“We need to commission 20 units a year, but right now [only] around six are being commissioned, while another five or six are simultaneously being decommissioned. Do we have the capabilities on the market to satisfy such huge demand for energy? Will we be able to provide such an enormous amount of energy? Well, sure, this is another problem, another obstacle,” Chudakov said.

“Unified solutions are needed. Our technology exchanges will sooner or later lead to the adoption of systemic standard solutions on the global market. A new quality of nuclear energy cannot be created without this,” Likhachev said.

“We need to change the way operators think. We need to have a lot more reliable operating systems [...] The sides need to be interested, and the public must accept this: we need to convince the population that nuclear energy should be part of the market and we need technological expertise. There are not many companies like Rosatom that can develop these technologies,” Bayraktar said.

Use of nuclear energy technologies for political purposes

“Unfortunately, for now the main risk factor is the use of the global nuclear family and the global nuclear technology market in the interests of certain countries. This is unacceptable. Nuclear technology is beyond politics, nuclear safety is above any political ambitions, and we will do everything we can to expand our presence on the world market,” Likhachev said.

SOLUTIONS

Increase nuclear energy production with increased attention to regulatory issues

“Russian President Vladimir Putin has set the goal of transitioning to a 25% [share of nuclear energy in the country’s energy balance] by the 2040s from the current 20%. This involves a lot of construction […] Something tells me that a decision will be made rather soon to move to 30% during the next stage, and this is a stable balance to my understanding […] From 2032–2034, instead of individual units, we will start replicating the construction of industrial and energy complexes that will include both fast and thermal reactors. This will be supported by a unified, almost endless fuel cycle,” Likhachev said.

“We are extremely active in the regulatory sector. We are trying to find a common approach [...] Countries are starting to interact with us and work with us, as we develop common unified approaches,” Chudakov said.

“We aren’t just dealing with regulatory issues. We are creating regulatory bodies in certain areas and helping to establish them in other countries […] We are cooperating with our colleagues: we have signed a roadmap until 2026 regarding the creation of a regulatory framework for hydrogen,” Director of the Russian Federal Service for the Supervision of Environment, Technology, and Nuclear Management Alexander Trembitsky said.

For more information, visit the Roscongress Foundation’s Information and Analytical System at roscongress.org/en.

The Russian Energy Week International Forum is a key global platform for discussing current trends in the development of the modern fuel and energy sector. This event is traditionally held at the highest level, featuring the participation of leaders from the largest companies in the energy industry. In 2022, more than 70 events, with the involvement of over 270 speakers, were held as part of REW. The Forum attracted over 3,000 participants and media representatives from Russia, as well as 83 foreign countries and territories. The Forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation and the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, with the support of the Moscow City Government.

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