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Nuclear Power in Ireland: Facts and Fiction Philip W. Walton

Nuclear Power in Ireland: Facts and Fiction Philip W. Walton. UL, February 2012. www.bene.ie. M. King Hubbert (1956) “ Nuclear Energy and the Fossil fuels ”. Constraints in Ireland Global warming; must reduce GHG emissions Decline of fossil fuels - Peak oil (about now)

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Nuclear Power in Ireland: Facts and Fiction Philip W. Walton

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  1. Nuclear Power in Ireland:Facts and FictionPhilip W. Walton UL, February 2012 www.bene.ie

  2. M. King Hubbert (1956) “Nuclear Energy and the Fossil fuels”

  3. Constraints in Ireland • Global warming; must reduce GHG emissions • Decline of fossil fuels • - Peak oil (about now) • - Peak gas (≈2025) + shale gas • - Peak coal (≈2030) • - Energy Watch Group, Germany • 1999 Electricity Regulation Act (forbids NP)

  4. Advantages of Nuclear Power for Ireland • Negligible GHG or other emissions • (Dr. Fred Udo: Ireland’s CO2 increased with wind energy) • Virtually sustainable • Stable fuel suppliers (Canada, Australia) • Proven mature technology (13,000 reactor years) • Economic (cheaper electricity and spin off - see later) • No need for major grid modifications • 90% load factor (wind 30%, though 21.5% in 2010)

  5. Nuclear Power Worldwide • (January 2012) • 434 NPP’s in operation (15% of world’s electricity) • 61 under construction • 509 planned or proposed (Renaissance) • (Pre Fukushima number was 478) • 30 countries have NP and 19 proposing (others considering)

  6. Nuclear Power in some European Countries

  7. Nuclear Power in some non-European Countries

  8. Ireland’s target for electricity production • 40% electricity from renewables by 2020 (11% now) - primarily wind (variability problem) • - Eirgrid says instantaneous limit for wind is 50% • - limited hydroelectricity • - tidal power is limited (variable) • - wave power unproven (variable) - wind needs back up • - unchartered territory • - where does 60% come from? • 40% would need ~2000 windmills (120m high) • - €11bn (ESB) for grid expansion • - backup required (eg: 6th Feb, wind =16MW)

  9. Wind energy elsewhere Denmark; world leaders for 30 years - have ready back-up from Norway, Sweden & Germany - only achieves 9.7% from wind Spain; press reports “…50% during October..” - on one Sunday morning with low demand and favourable wind - actual average is 11%

  10. Spirit of Ireland (May 2009) initiative • “Natural Energy Power Station” • - wind turbines on West coast combined with • pumped storage in newly created reservoir(s) • Quoted specifications (tentative): • 700MW average power (1800MW installed wind) • lifetime; 25 years • storage energy; 100GWhrs • cost; €3.45bn • cost of electricity; 7.5 cents/kWh

  11. “Spirit of Ireland” power station (700MW) would require: • Approx. 600 wind turbines • (3MW each, 120m high) • 18 square kilometers of reservoir • (20m depth, 120m elevation) • €300m for “wiring”

  12. “Compare and contrast” SOI station to a nuclear power station

  13. Irish Academy of Engineering Study 2009

  14. Suitable nuclear reactors Westinghouse 225MW small modular reactor (SMR) - modular: factory manufacture - reduces costs - better quality control - advanced passive - 7 days safe operation after failure - available 2020 - scaled down version of AP1000 (PWR) - 24 months refuelling

  15. Suitable nuclear reactors (contd.) Pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR) - 210 MW (China building) - uses spherical fuel elements (“pebbles”) - high temperature gas cooled - inherently safe (natural convection adequate) - being developed in the USA & China - German technology International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC)

  16. Official Irish bodies urging government to consider nuclear power; (selection of) • Eirgrid • Engineers Ireland • ESB strategy • ESRI Working Paper No. 229 • Forfas • The Irish Academy of Engineering • Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)

  17. Whither nuclear power for Ireland • Rescind amendment to Electricity Regulation Act (1999) which forbids nuclear power in Ireland • 2. Form an expert group to advise Government on Nuclear Power and energy post 2020 • - complex question with high wind penetration • - is NP suitable for Ireland? • - use of interconnectors to share NP with the UK or France? • - funding sources; AREVA (France)?, • ENDESA (Spain)?

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