High-priced and dangerous. Nuclear power is not an option for the climate-friendly energy mix
Creators
- 1. DIW Berlin (Germany)
- 2. TU Berlin (Germany)
- 3. DIW Berlin (Germany). Dept. of Energy, Transportation, Environment
Description
The debate on effective climate protection is heating up in Germany and the rest of the world. Nuclear energy is being touted as "clean" energy. Given the circumstances, the present study analyzed the historical, current, and future costs and risks of nuclear energy. The findings show that nuclear energy can by no means be called "clean" due to radioactive emissions, which will endanger humans and the natural environment for over one million years. And it harbors the high risk of proliferation. An empirical survey of the 674 nuclear power plants that have ever been built showed that private economic motives never played a role. Instead military interests have always been the driving force behind their construction. Even ignoring the expense of dismantling nuclear power plants and the long-term storage of nuclear waste, private economy-only investment in nuclear power plant would result in high losses - an average of five billion euros per nuclear power plant, as one financial simulation revealed. In countries such as China and Russia, where nuclear power plants are still being built, private investment does not play a role either. Nuclear power is too expensive and dangerous; therefore it should not be part of the climate-friendly energy mix of the future.
Availability note (English)
Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.18723/diw_dwr:2019-30-1; Available from: https://www.diw.de/de/diw_01.c.620238.de/publikationen/diw_weekly_report.htmlAdditional details
Identifiers
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- DIW Weekly Report
- Journal Volume
- 9
- Journal Issue
- 30
- Journal Page Range
- p. 235-244
- ISSN
- 2568-7697
INIS
- Country of Publication
- Germany
- Country of Input or Organization
- Germany
- INIS RN
- 52013669
- Subject category
- S29: ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; S22: GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS;
- Descriptors DEI
- CHINA; CLIMATIC CHANGE; COST; ECONOMY; ENERGY MANAGEMENT; ENERGY POLICY; FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY; HARBORS; HAZARDS; INVESTMENT; NUCLEAR ENERGY; NUCLEAR POWER; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; PRICES; PROLIFERATION; RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL; RUSSIAN FEDERATION
- Descriptors DEC
- ASIA; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; EASTERN EUROPE; ENERGY; EUROPE; GOVERNMENT POLICIES; MANAGEMENT; NUCLEAR FACILITIES; POWER; POWER PLANTS; RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT; THERMAL POWER PLANTS; WASTE DISPOSAL; WASTE MANAGEMENT; WESTERN EUROPE