The Future of Nuclear Energy: Facts and Fiction Chapter I: Nuclear Fission Energy Today

TL;DR

This paper critically examines the current state, limitations, and future prospects of nuclear fission energy, aiming to provide a factual understanding amidst polarized debates.

Contribution

It offers a data-driven analysis of nuclear energy's current role, resources, technological challenges, and realistic future contributions based on authoritative sources.

Findings

Nuclear energy's current contribution is significant but limited.

Uranium resources are finite and face future supply challenges.

Technological advancements are needed for sustainable nuclear energy.

Abstract

Nuclear fission energy is considered to be somewhere between the holy grail, required to solve all energy worries of the human industrialized civilization, and a fast path directly to hell. Discussions about future energy sources and the possible contribution from nuclear energy are often dominated by variations of fundamentalists and often irrational approaches. As a result, very little is known by the general public and even by decision makers about the contribution of nuclear energy today, about uranium supplies, uranium resources and current and future technological challenges and limitations. This analysis about nuclear energy and its contribution for tomorrow tries to shed light on the nuclear reality and its limitations in the near and long term future. The report, presented in four chapters, is based essentially on the data provided in the documents from the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Administration) and the NEA (the Nuclear Energy Agency from the OECD countries, the WNA (World Nuclear Association) and the IEA (International Energy Agency).