Climate change may be one of the biggest challenges of our time. The thing is, we do have the technology to solve it. The problem is that it's expensive - as compared to traditional fossil fuels that are currently providing most of our energy. In his recent annual letter, Bill Gates says: 

Renewable energies, like solar and wind, are clean but can't compete in an open electricity market without subsidies. Carbon sequestration with fossil fuels only makes sense with a high carbon tax. And, because of strict regulations and high construction costs, nuclear energy is also expensive.

From the perspective of the fuel and reactor itself, nuclear energy is actually very inexpensive. Uranium fuel has a very high energy density, so a lot less of it is needed than fossil fuel to produce the same amount of electricity. High regulatory requirements drive up the cost both during construction and operation, but also make nuclear power one of the safest industries in the world.

Nuclear power plants made a lot of sense to build in the 1970s because energy markets were regulated and prices could be set to ensure that the plant would make money over a long period of time. Since then, the reform of the electricity industry has been undertaken as part of wider economic reform driven by a range of factors including the globalization of the world economy and pressures to improve domestic and international competitiveness, trends towards smaller government and emerging beliefs in free market principles.

The current energy market, in most industrialized countries, depends on electricity prices for the benefit of consumers, and is not dependent on the environment, emissions, or reliability.

Many large nuclear power plants under construction right now, especially in Europe, are facing significant cost overruns and investors are threatening to pull out. In the past few years, China has been the most successful in completing construction and putting nuclear reactors online. Although the Chinese electricity industry has undergone some reform, most of it is still owned by state-holding enterprises. In addition, cheap labor and material decrease construction costs.

In the United States, nuclear power plants are closing early - well before their license retirement dates - because they can't compete with low natural gas prices and the short-term nature of the competitive market. Illinois may be the first state to pass an energy law that would include implementation of a zero emission standard, specifically to keep nuclear power plants open.

Electricity markets are only moving more and more towards deregulation and open markets. Government incentives and subsidies can't be the only enabler for clean energy. Clean energy sources need to be able to compete on price. The costs of renewables are decreasing every year, but are not enough to tackle the climate change and energy problem.

Significantly reducing the construction and operation costs of nuclear power plants could be the "energy miracle" that is needed for climate change. This is possible through streamlining regulation, modular construction and efficient operation. More on this in the next post!

Dear Leo,

From your early roles as sweet Romeo and Jack to clever Frank Abagnale and later in one of my favorite movies, Inception, I've always been a fan. I became even more of fan when you started using your fame for communicating about an issue that I care deeply about and spend my career on - climate change and the environment.

In your Oscar acceptance speech, you said that "Making The Revenant was about man's relationship to the natural world, a world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history."

I was struck to hear you say that your production team needed to move to the southern tip of the planet just to be able to find snow. I am all too familiar with the lack of snow this year, as I tore a ligament in my knee last weekend skiing in the Alps on fake icy snow. ​

I agree with you that we "need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters or the big corporations but who speak for all of humanity." That we need to divest from fossil fuels and invest in clean energy.

However, clean energy should include a portfolio of energy technologies that are sustainable and non-polluting. 100% renewable could be viable but we should stop favoring one technology over another and start using all available solutions where they are appropriate.

You don't mention nuclear energy in your advocacy for clean energy and I ask that you consider supporting it, along with renewables and other clean technologies. 

Nuclear energy is one of the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases (on par with wind and solar) and already avoids the emission of 2 gigatons of CO2 per year. Nuclear energy is available now and advanced nuclear technologies are even more efficient and sustainable. 
​
I congratulate you on your well-deserved Oscar and respect you for talking about this extremely important issue in your acceptance speech. I know that you can make an even bigger difference by advocating for and investing in all clean energy technologies.

Sincerely,
Lenka Kollar

 By Lenka Kollar

​This post is part of Masdar's Engage Blogging Contest for Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2016. Vote for my entry here.

From putting a man on the moon to civilian use of GPS, scientific innovation has often been the result of public-private partnerships in which the government sponsors basic research and private companies continue development and commercialize the innovation. Governments can adopt policies to make this process more efficient by incentivizing companies to innovate and help solve the world’s biggest challenges today, including the transition to a sustainable and clean energy economy.
 
Successful government innovation programs have often involved two things: research and incentive. The government needs to provide funding and facilities for basic scientific research that companies do not have the resources to undertake. Take for example the development of first mass-produced plug-in hybrid electric car in the United States, the Chevy Volt. Government-sponsored research at Argonne National Laboratory created the technology for the battery that powers the car in electric mode. Chevrolet, which did not have the resources and facilities to do this kind of research, then commercialized the batteries for use in the cars.
 
Private companies can also get started earlier in the process by utilizing existing government or university facilities and funding for research. For example, Masdar City in Abu Dhabi creates a community and provides facilities for research in sustainable technology. With Siemens regional headquarters onsite and other companies taking part, Masdar City provides for an innovation hub that fosters public-private partnerships.
 
More than making basic research and facilities available to companies, the government can also incentivize private innovation with support and funding. A recent and ongoing example of this is the US Department of Energy investment in innovative small modular reactors for clean and sustainable energy production. Through a five-year cost-share agreement, the government invests up to half of the total project cost, with the project’s industry partners matching this investment by at least one-to-one. The Department of Energy also provides assistance for engineering and design certification with the regulator. Government support is essential for both established companies and start-ups in developing such a complex technology with heavy regulation.
 
Governments can develop policies to streamline public-private partnership and enable the private sector to develop the goods and services necessary for a global transition to a sustainable economy. Governments should fund and provide access to scientific research and facilities and incentivize companies to innovate with support and investment, as showed in the examples above.
 
In addition, the type of government support—research, facilities, funding, etc.—needs to be tailored to different technology sectors and economies. Advanced clean energy systems in developing economies may require a more hands-on government approach while energy efficiency could involve simple government grants to develop innovative products in this area.
 
There is not one specific approach to fostering public-private partnerships but many pathways for the government to provide support and incentives for innovation in sustainable technology. The government should be an enabler (through effective support), rather than a disabler (through stricter regulations), in order to see the kind of large-scale transition that we need to achieve a sustainable economy. 

See my posts from previous Masdar blogging contests: Nuclear Energy's Role in Sustainable Development (2014) and Sustainable Urbanization 2015 to 2030 (2015).

​By Lenka Kollar

When I was graduating from the Nuclear Engineering department at Purdue in 2008-2009, the outlook for nuclear energy was great, so great that we called it the "Nuclear Renaissance." My classmates and I were getting job offers left and right from the nuclear industry, despite the financial crisis. Nuclear energy was predicted to rise 50% in the US and countless countries around the world were considering introducing nuclear to the energy mix.

Then, Fukushima happened and all plans were put on hold while the ramifications of the accident were analyzed. While the social impact on the local community is irreversible and the clean up will be difficult, many countries have since realized that nuclear energy is necessary for producing clean and reliable electricity and that the risks  for accidents can be mitigated with lessons learned and investing in new technology.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) predicts that the percentage of electricity supplied by nuclear energy will grow in total worldwide, both in the low and high estimate. However, growth (or decline) does vary by region (see graph below). The largest growth is in Asia, countries like China, India, and South Korea are investing heavily in nuclear energy and several other Asian and Pacific countries are currently building the infrastructure to introduce nuclear energy.

At the big Climate Change conference in Paris this year (COP21), nuclear energy had a presence. IAEA officials said to consider nuclear as sustainable energy and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency promoted nuclear energy for its ability to provide baseload electricity with low life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, on par with renewables. Nonprofits and nuclear industry associations campaigned for #Nuclear4Climate and prominent environmental scientists claimed that we can't mitigate climate change without nuclear energy. The US Secretary of Energy announced big investments for nuclear innovation and some countries even included nuclear energy specifically in their national contributions.

The final agreement from COP21 was not technology-specific, which means that all low-carbon technologies, including nuclear, can be used to mitigate climate change.  This is a big signal to the world, because it means that we should stop favoring one technology over another and start using all available solutions where they are appropriate. Jeremy Gordon of the World Nuclear Association said it perfectly:

You may or may not have heard the hype about “COP21” in the media, political arenas, or on the cover of an airport magazine (pictured above). It kind of sounds like an underground music festival or maybe a conference for cops? It is a conference...in early December, Paris will host the 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. So not as exciting as a music festival, but it does have far more potential for global impact.

The Kyoto Protocol following the summit in 1997 brought 37 countries together to pledge to reduce their greenhouse gases by at least 5%. Kyoto brought the issue of climate change to direct policy, but most countries have failed to meet their Kyoto goals. The 2009 summit in Copenhangen failed to reach consensus and the decision was delayed to 2015, to COP21.

The objective of COP21 is to devise a new agreement in which countries will pledge to reduce green house gas emissions in order to keep the average global temperature increase under 2 degrees Celsius (as compared to pre-industrial levels). This means reducing greenhouse gases by 40 to 70% by 2050 from 2010 levels.

While the contribution of human activity to climate change is still disputed by some, action needs to be taken to mitigate the immediate impact of fossil fuels on human health and the environment. Air pollution has become a major concern for China. Island nations are completely threatened by rising sea levels from melting ice caps. 

Recognizing that cities are responsible for 70% of carbon emissions, 1000 mayors and city officials will come together at a side summit at COP21. Led by Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, and NYC’s Michael R. Bloomberg, cities will devise a local plan to combat global warming.

With more than 1 billion of the world population still without electricity, the global demand for energy continues to rise. Developed countries must pave the way in clean energy and foster sustainable development in growing economies.

For more information, check out the COP21paris.org and the IAEA's 2015 report on Climate Change and Nuclear Power.

by Lenka Kollar

​18% of the worldwide population, or 1.3 billion people, don't have access to electricity, according to the OECD. And, nearly 40% (2.7 billion people) still rely on traditional biomass (wood, charcoal, agricultural waste and animal dung) for cooking. Most of these people are in Sub-Saharan Africa and developing Asia, regions that are experiencing large economic and populations growth.

Access to sustainable forms of energy leads to immediate and significant savings in labor needed for collecting traditional fuels. In addition, the use of artificial lighting provided by electricity allows people to work beyond daylight hours. With more time, people in developing countries can do more productive activities the generate more economic growth, such as education and industrial work.

Access to electricity allows for the refrigeration of food, thus reducing the risk of food shortages. Organizations have access to information technologies with electricity and computers, further enhancing education and communication. Energy is also a major contributor to improving access to modern medicine.

Population growth and rapid urbanization will drive upward pressure on energy demand in developing countries, this will have a major impact on the environment. The magnitude of this impact on climate change will strongly depend on policy measures undertaken by governments. 

Governments and international organizations are working together to tackle the global development and energy challenge through the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, a new legal instrument on climate change will be prepared and approved at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris this December, superseding the Kyoto Protocol.

A plan is needed to keep the "2-degree" scenario, meaning that we must control the emissions of greenhouse gases so that the increase of global average temperature will not exceed 2°C relative to pre-industrial levels. This will take a comprehensive plan of action involving sustainable development, energy efficiency, and, most importantly, extensive use of clean energy.

For more information, check out the 2015 IAEA Report on Climate Change and Nuclear Power.

By Lenka Kollar

One of my classmates from INSEAD recently launched a Kickstarter campaign for Cannybots, toy robots designed to teach kids how to program and tinker in a playful way.

I'm really excited for Cannybots to make their way to schools and students' homes to inspire young kids to to be creative while building and playing with something. By making programming and tinkering fun, kids will develop their analytical capabilities without even realizing it, and maybe even be inspired to study and pursue careers in STEM!

As a child, I loved to play with Legos and puzzles, and I think those early days of building and solving things led me to be interested in engineering.  Back then, all of the Legos and other building toys were "boy oriented" so it's very valuable that Cannybots is unisex and appealing to all kids. 

To see how Cannybots work and to contribute to their campaign, check out the Kickstarter page!

Nuclear Undone's very own expert Mark Reed speaks out about being a nuclear engineer, being different, and inspiring others.

by Lenka Kollar

With the highest carbon emissions and dependence on fossil fuels in decades, Japan has begun the first steps towards restarting its nuclear energy program. Unit 1 of the Sendai nuclear power plant was restarted this week and will be in full commercial operation generating electricity in September. This marks the beginning of Japan restarting its nuclear fleet after two years of standing idle.

Nuclear power plants in Japan were gradually shut down following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after the great earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. Japan's energy future remained uncertain until the national decision was made to restart the nuclear power program. 

The nuclear power shutdown forced Japan to depend on imported fossil fuels for energy production. Nuclear power benefited the Japanese economy ¥33 trillion ($276 billion) over the years by reducing dependence on foreign oil. Nuclear power also allowed Japan to reach its Kyoto Protocol targets by greatly reducing greenhouse gas emissions (read more).

The nuclear power shutdown allowed the Japanese nuclear regulator and utilities to conduct safety inspections and update new post-Fukushima safety standards. Twenty more reactors are progressing through the restart process while a few older reactors are being retired and decommissioned.

By Lenka Kollar

A summary of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the E3/EU+3 (China, France, Germany, Russia, UK, US, and EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) is shown in the image below. 

The technical measures in the JCPOA limit Iran's nuclear program to peaceful uses, as allowed by the Nonproliferation Treaty, and enhance transparency with oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Sanctions are lifted simultaneously with further actions in 8 years, including the possible opening of commercial nuclear trade between the US and Iran. 

This is a plan of action based on a set of measures overseen by an international agency (the IAEA). It is not based on trust, like a treaty would be. It does, however, provide steps in the right direction to form a better relationship between Iran and the US, EU, and the UN Security Council. The politics are complicated, and won't be easily resolved by an agreement. However, this plan of action is feasible because both sides agreed to it and it contains tangible technical measures than can be implemented and monitored.