Achieving carbon reduction goals while maintaining a supply of electric power is difficult without significant nuclear power; this is currently apparent in Germany. However, as shown by the growth of renewable resources in the U.S., a significant reduction in the amount of carbon produced is difficult to achieve due to a number of factors (considering utility scale wind and solar PV and thermal technologies): 1.The current generation of reactors were designed to run at maximum capacity when operating 2.Renewable 'fuel' cannot be stored, limiting operation to when the wind blows and sun shines 3.Electrical energy cannot economically be stored on a utility scale for a significant duration (i.e., to replace plant output). This means that fossil-fuel plants have been necessary to support installation of wind and solar plants. However, there is great promise that Small Modular Reactor (SMR) plants, once commercially ready, can complement wind and solar generation better than the type of nuclear plants currently in operation due to their design operating characteristics. This paper will assess the potential impact SMRs, in combination with wind and solar technologies, may have as a substitute for fossil fuel plants to attain a reliable carbon-free power grid.
展开▼
