Nuclear power was reintroduced as one of the preferred green technologies to revitalise Europe's industry, according to a political agreement struck by lawmakers in the European Parliament on the bloc's proposed Net-Zero Industry Act.
Initially, the European Commission proposed two lists, one of which included so-called “strategic” technologies subject to a 40% domestic manufacturing target and fast-track permitting procedures.
However, this list did not feature nuclear power, a move that sparked outrage among its advocates on social media, particularly in France.
However, things took a new turn on Tuesday.
The compromise list now includes renewable energy technologies, nuclear fission and fusion technologies, energy storage, carbon capture and storage (CCS), hydrogen transport infrastructure, and electrolysers, among others.
The best time to build a nuclear reactor was 30 years ago, but I am sceptical that we can build the storage capacity to fully and reliably decarbonise with renewables while similtaniously decarbonising transport. This on a global scale using extremely sought after rare earths that we posess relatively little of.
And who don't have to worry about drought now or in the future.
And who don't mind that the new reactor will be finished 12 years later than expected and be much more expensive than planned, and won't contribute to the electricity grid because it will only replace an old reactor that has become too dangerous to keep running.
Not to mention that we have a nuclear reactor that is currently under threat of war.
And we're not talking about nuclear waste, because that's a problem for the future, and who cares about our future anyway?
Also it is a "net-zero industry" that is net-zero-insurable, which should make everyone think twice.
This is not a "compromise", this is lobbying at its best.