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Derisking the TeraWatt Transition

Climate Action Solution Centre November 3, 2021 TerraPraxis (NGO with whom LucidCatalyst works) will host this high-level, by-invitation-only event, to take place in parallel with the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). Energy Day at Climate Action Solution Centre (CASC): De-Risking the Terawatt Transition. During the full-day event, key stakeholders will reveal new near-term climate-scale strategies to compete on price and performance with fossil fuels that will break through the world’s largest and most difficult carbon emissions challenges: coal, and liquid fuels. Customers, investors and political leaders will announce strategies to accelerate the affordable repowering of 2TW of coal and delivery of 100 million barrels/day of carbon-neutral liquid fuels. These large-scale solutions will repurpose trillions of dollars of existing infrastructure to continue supplying reliable energy, without emissions, and can advance groundbreaking progress toward Net Zero by 2050. > Learn More

Clean Heat for Industrial Decarbonisation

Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) October 7, 2021 Reducing industrial carbon emissions is one of the most difficult challenges on the path to net zero by 2050, due to the magnitude of greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial sector and technical requirements for heat in addition to power. High-temperature reactors (HTRs) are promising Generation IV nuclear technologies that can supply process heat for a variety of industrial applications. This virtual workshop explored the opportunities and challenges associated with HTRs for industrial heat applications, providing a forum for experts from the public and private sectors to exchange views on the technological and economic features of HTRs focusing on priorities from the end-user's point of view, as collected in advance by the NEA. It also addressed the potential contribution of HTRs towards national and global decarbonisation targets while encouraging discussion about the conditions necessary to promote and enable deployment of HTRs for industrial heat applications. Kirsty Gogan, Co-Founder and Managing Director of TerraPraxis, participated on the panel "National strategies and global perspectives." > Learn More

Can nuclear find a place in the energy transition?

Energy Intelligence Forum 2021 October 6, 2021 Kirsty Gogan joined the conversation at the Energy Intelligence Forum 2021 at the Event titled: Can nuclear find a place in the energy transition? Nuclear energy provides low-carbon baseload power but worries about safety and high costs have kept it on the sidelines of the energy transition. Does nuclear have a greater place in a net-zero world? Can old reactors stay in the running? Will new designs get off the ground? Panellists included: Kirsty Gogan – TerraPraxis; Amory Lovins – Stanford University; Alison Silverstein – Independent Consultant; Phil Chaffee – Energy Intelligence. > Learn More

Nuclear Seen Keeping Costs Down for "Green" Hydrogen

Reuters Oct 5, 2021 Nuclear power operators can mitigate high costs by fitting plants to produce hydrogen, and studies have found that the cheapest option for the growing hydrogen economy is to include nuclear in the energy mix. Hydrogen is increasingly seen as an essential fuel to power a future, carbon-free economy. Reuters cites a new study — Decarbonising Hydrogen in a Net Zero Economy — commissioned by Urenco and supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency, EDF and LucidCatalyst. ...The nuclear industry believes its high-capacity reactors are better placed to turbo charge economies’ planned move to hydrogen. Without nuclear producing so-called ‘pink hydrogen’ – though many argue, zero-emission nuclear should also be in the ‘green’ category – the push toward a hydrogen economy will be virtually impossible, say supporters. ... > Read full article > Read Study > Read LucidCatalyst's Insights summary report

The Next Chapter for Nuclear

UK Conservative Party Conference Oct 5, 2021 Kirsty Gogan of LucidCatalyst and TerraPraxis participated in the session on The Next Chapter for Nuclear in the UK at the Conservative Party Conference. The session also featured: Felix Chow-Kambitsch of Urenco; Aubrey Allegretti of The Guardian; and MP Chris Skidmore. LucidCatalyst does not endorse any political party.

From Commitments to Actions: The Sprint to Net Zero

CleanTech Forum Europe Oct 5, 2021 Eric Ingersoll and Kirsty Gogan, Co-Founders of TerraPraxis and Managing Partners of LucidCatalyst, joined the panel on Big Ideas: is repowering coal the largest carbon abatement opportunity in the world? At the start of 2020 we argued that urgent actions, unusual strategies and unexpected allies would need to be a feature of the 2020’s, if we are to get on track to meet decarbonisation goals. We have been looking for such ever since and believe we have found a big idea to bring to everyone’s attention. The live program was kicked off with a sneak preview of this idea with others. > Learn More

Energy Transition: The Role of Nuclear

The European Nuclear Young Generation Forum (ENYGF) Sept 28, 2021 The Spanish Young Generation Network hosted the 2021 annual event in cooperation with the IAEA in Tarragona, Spain. This session addressed the essential contribution of nuclear in the way of decarbonising energy uses — from the mathematical methods used to determine the system costs of different transition strategies to the disruptive innovations and applications of nuclear reactors boosting the affordability of higher re-share mixes — and about commitments of public and private institutions promoting the role of nuclear around the world. This session brought some of the most relevant experts in the forward-looking analysis of nuclear energy in the energy transition, including: Vladimir Usanov: Chief Scientist, Institute for Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE), Rosatom; Kirsty Gogan: Managing Partner of TerraPraxis and LucidCatalyst; and Henri Paillere: Head Planning and Economic Studies Section at IAEA. > Learn More

Independent study on hydrogen production shows using nuclear will cut costs and emissions

URENCO Press Release September 27, 2021 Today, Urenco publishes the findings from an independent study that it initiated with Aurora Energy Research to investigate the benefits of deploying both nuclear and renewables in hydrogen production, to support the energy transition and meet UK climate targets. The report, called 'Decarbonising Hydrogen in a Net Zero Economy', has been supported by the IAEA, EDF and LucidCatalyst and is available on the Urenco website. The report follows the UK Government’s Hydrogen Strategy, published in August 2021. The Hydrogen Strategy stated that nuclear-hydrogen provides a number of options for producing clean hydrogen, but did not model the costs and competitiveness of nuclear’s contribution. > Read more about the key findings of the study > Read LucidCatalyst's summary Insights Report about this work

Nuclear Needed for Hydrogen Production, Study Says

World Nuclear News 27 Sept 2021 To facilitate rapid decarbonisation and cut dependency on fossil fuels, both nuclear energy and renewables are needed for power and hydrogen production, a new independent study has concluded. The study, by Aurora Energy Research, investigates the benefits of deploying both nuclear and renewables for hydrogen production, to support the energy transition and meet UK climate targets. The report — Decarbonising Hydrogen in a Net Zero Economy — was commissioned by Urenco and has been supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency, EDF and LucidCatalyst. It follows the UK government's Hydrogen Strategy, published last month. The Hydrogen Strategy stated that nuclear provides a number of options for producing clean hydrogen, but did not model the costs and competitiveness of nuclear's contribution. "The majority of studies on the future of the hydrogen sector in Great Britain focus on electrolytic hydrogen from renewable energy sources (RES) and fossil-based hydrogen with carbon capture and storage (CCS)," the report says. "The potential for nuclear to participate in the hydrogen economy is often not considered due to high costs of recent assets and lack of clear policy direction leading to planned projects being put on hold. "This study investigates how policy support for new nuclear technologies and business models to provide low-carbon electrolytic hydrogen could reduce nuclear and system costs whilst reducing reliance on fossil fuels when deployed alongside RES on the path to net-zero." ... > Read full article > Read Study > Read LucidCatalyst's Insights summary report

Nuclear for Marine Shipping

CATF-EPRI Pillsbury Virtual Workshop Sept 8, 2021 The maritime sector faces increasing pressure from global organisations and consumers to reduce its carbon footprint. This workshop addressed the decarbonisation of marine shipping, focusing on the role of zero-carbon fuels (ZCFs), the role of nuclear energy in producing those fuels, and the challenges and opportunities likely to be encountered on the path to a low-carbon shipping industry. Kirsty Gogan and Eric Ingersoll of LucidCatalyst and TerraPraxis participated. > Learn More

Kirsty Gogan on using ‘Impossible Burgers’ to deliver net zero

“By incorporating these strategies we could dramatically change our prospects. Once there is better awareness and understanding, the potential will start to mobilise.” NUCLEAR FUTURE Vol. 17 #4 July/August 2021 www.nuclearinst.com Read this article by downloading it with the link below

Hydrogen Goes Nuclear as U.K. Reactor Pivots Toward Renewables

Bloomberg Green By Rachel Morison August 1, 2021 Electricity transmission pylons stand in front of Sizewell A, right, and B, left, nuclear power stations in Sizewell, U.K.Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg The $28 billion Sizewell C nuclear station is touted as an anchor for Britain reaching net-zero emissions, yet its reactors will compete with wind farms over the North Sea horizon. On gusty days, where will the plant’s excess power go? Toward making hydrogen. Nuclear developers in Europe, North America and Russia are looking at the clean gas as an outlet for their low-carbon power to maximize revenue from one of the most expensive energy assets on the planet. They also want to capitalize on the $70 billion-plus pledged by governments to help develop the industry as a way to reach climate goals. Electricite de France SA wants to make hydrogen at the proposed 20 billion-pound Sizewell C plant on the southeast coast, marking the first time these technologies would be combined on a commercial scale in Europe. With enough supply, clean hydrogen could meet a quarter of the world’s energy needs by 2050, and annual sales have potential to reach 630 billion euros ($744 billion). “The amount of clean hydrogen that we’re going to need to really decarbonize our economic sectors is just immense,” said Elina Teplinsky, a Washington-based partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP who focuses on nuclear projects and deals. “We need all of the hydrogen production sources that are available -- we’re going to need nuclear.” Electricity grids want more renewable-power sources as nations commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to the point where their economies are carbon-neutral. Operators are preparing to run networks on 100% renewables at some times of the day, meaning nuclear, natural gas and coal sources won’t be needed. And that means less revenue for those plant owners. On the days when wind, solar and hydropower produce enough, the low-carbon electricity generated by Sizewell C would be diverted to an electrolyzer producing clean hydrogen. The waste heat produced by the atomic plant also can be used to make the process 10% more efficient, according to EDF. If the company secures planning permission and the necessary financing, the facility likely will come online in the early 2030s. “It’s not nuclear versus wind versus solar – we need to use everything and cooperate to make the most of the technologies,” Julia Pyke, Sizewell C’s financing director, said in an interview. “Ideally, you’d have the electrolyzer supplied both by nuclear and by wind.” The U.K.’s long-awaited hydrogen strategy is expected to be technology neutral, leaving the door open for reactors. That blueprint could be released in coming days. ... The U.K. has set a target for 5 gigawatts of hydrogen production by 2030, envisioning its use in road transportation, home heating and ship propulsion. EDF currently runs 27 plants in the U.K. and France, and is building two more. Sizewell C would be its 30th. “The nuclear industry does need to broaden its ambition and recognize the value of these opportunities,” said Kirsty Gogan, managing director of consultant LucidCatalyst in London and member of a government nuclear advisory board. “We have started to see this happening.” > Read the full article