The European Commission unveiled Friday that it launched a platform for nuclear energy research. The EU’s executive arm said in a statement that the platform will bring together industry and researchers to draw up a strategy "to prepare for the future and maintain European leadership in this sector.'' It’s launch has been very timely as the Commission prepares a Strategic Energy Technology Plan for the EU.
According to the statement, energy consumption worldwide is likely to double between 2000 and 2050, and nuclear energy will remain a key element in future low-carbon energy systems. ‘‘Europe has the largest nuclear industry in the world and one third of its electricity comes from nuclear plants so the platform is putting together researchers and industry to define and implement a Strategic Research Agenda and corresponding Deployment Strategy,’’ it added.
European Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik said that ''for those countries that choose it,'' nuclear power will be ''a very important part of their solution to security of supply and reduction of greenhouse gases.'' She also said that two major political and public concerns must be addressed to make this possible: ensuring that nuclear power is economically competitive and to make nuclear power as neutral as possible in environmental terms and in terms of the legacy.
Antonie van Campen
(www.europa.eu/www.eubusiness.com/BBC)
4 comments:
Having enough energy is important, but it's hard to form an opinion on this subject because it is so complex and diverse. I do agree thar nuclear power is a good alternative to co2 producing coal power plants.
It's really a bit ridiculous because in the 90s some European governments released plans for a nuclear power phase out. Now the governments back-pedal because nuclear energy is still so important! But I think as long as there are no real alternative (and wind or solar energy are no real alternatives yet) the phase out is impossible.
I agree with Sabine. Getting rid of nuclear energy is not a solution. It is so much more efficient than any other type of energy! The wise thing to do, in my opinion, is to invest more into ensuring the safety of these power plants.
This is funny to me, because in America, there is no source of energy more un-PC than nuclear energy.
Back home, in the town next to mine, they agreed to allow the building of a nuclear powerplant in exchange for the building of a new highschool.
After they got the highschool, they lobbied against the powerplant...and now there is just a big, half-built powerplant sitting there, doing nothing.
- Frank
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