2 ms·

see also france’s macron announcement re nuclear: https://www.france24.com/en/france/20211012-macron-unveils-€30-billion-investment-plan-to-re-industralise-fra

by kmlx 5y ago

see also france’s macron announcement re nuclear: https://www.france24.com/en/france/20211012-macron-unveils-€30-billion-investment-plan-to-re-industralise-france https://www.france24.com/en/france/20211012-macron-unveils-€... high time for nuclear to make a comback

Zenst 5y ago
Yes France has a large Nuclear infrastructure and much of that is comming close to end of life. They are actively trying to get the EU to recognise Nuclear fission to be recognised as a green energy supply. If they can't achieve that then they will risk falling foul of the EU renewable/green targets - https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/70/renewable-energy https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/70/renewa... So without that, getting projects going and export of energy (of which France does more than most) all hang upon fission getting that green label approved by the EU. Equally hydrogen may well prove a very economical method of storing electricity and for Nuclear plants (both types) the ability to turn them off and on per demand is something they can't do. So the ability to store that excess in off-peak in hydrogen and then converting back on-demand into electricity does seem like a viable solution if cheaper alternatives are not available. Not sure how they cost compare with lake dam energy storage - though that storage option for on-demand production is not cheap and equally limited by topography and land along with ecological impacts. So lots of hidden costs and upfront costs for those.
polote 5y ago
Macron announced doubling down on nuclear because a poll said 51% of people were in favor of it. But don't forget this is Macron, he can say the contrary at any time, especially if a new poll say a majority of voters are against it. So don't bet too much money on it. He let Fessenheim (one nuclear plant) close one year ago. And the nuclear plants he announced are a new kind of plants that we don't know how to create yet. (And he refuses to take position to open new plants with the current technology)

by kmlx 5y ago

Zenst 5y ago

Yes France has a large Nuclear infrastructure and much of that is comming close to end of life. They are actively trying to get the EU to recognise Nuclear fission to be recognised as a green energy supply. If they can't achieve that then they will risk falling foul of the EU renewable/green targets - https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/70/renewable-energy https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/70/renewa... So without that, getting projects going and export of energy (of which France does more than most) all hang upon fission getting that green label approved by the EU. Equally hydrogen may well prove a very economical method of storing electricity and for Nuclear plants (both types) the ability to turn them off and on per demand is something they can't do. So the ability to store that excess in off-peak in hydrogen and then converting back on-demand into electricity does seem like a viable solution if cheaper alternatives are not available. Not sure how they cost compare with lake dam energy storage - though that storage option for on-demand production is not cheap and equally limited by topography and land along with ecological impacts. So lots of hidden costs and upfront costs for those.

polote 5y ago

Macron announced doubling down on nuclear because a poll said 51% of people were in favor of it. But don't forget this is Macron, he can say the contrary at any time, especially if a new poll say a majority of voters are against it. So don't bet too much money on it. He let Fessenheim (one nuclear plant) close one year ago. And the nuclear plants he announced are a new kind of plants that we don't know how to create yet. (And he refuses to take position to open new plants with the current technology)