Energy, electricity and nuclear power: Developments and projections - 25 years past and future

This report is based on the annual IAEA publication, Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period up to 2030, Reference Data Series No. 1 (RDS-1). The IAEA has been publishing RDS-1 since 1981. It reports on the current status and estimates of energy use, electricity generation and nuclear power generation in various regions of the world for the medium to long term. The estimates are prepared in close collaboration and consultation with several international, regional and national organizations dealing with energy related statistics, such as the United Nations Department of Economic Affairs, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA), the World Bank, the World Nuclear Agency (WNA), the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), as well as several international energy experts. The latest issue is the 27th edition, reporting estimates for the next 24 years using 2006 as the base year. During its 26 years of regular publication, several adjustments were made to the definitions and methodology for compiling the energy data, in order to improve the quality of the data. These adjustments were in line with the overall efforts at the international level to harmonize energy statistics. For example, the United Nations Statistical Commission has been making efforts to synchronize its data series under various programmes. For RDS-1, one such adjustment was made in 2005 when the average thermal efficiency method was adopted to convert electricity produced by nuclear power plants from kilowatt-hours to joules. This had a significant impact on the values of total energy use. At this stage, the entire historical data series was also adjusted. This report provides these harmonized data series on energy use, electricity generation and nuclear power generation for the 25 year period (1980-2005). The report also compares the nuclear power projections made in the past with the projections made in 2006 on the basis of 2005, the last year of that period.