Nuclear left out in the cold

摘要

Nuclear energy is the most prominent low carbon energy technology not on the agenda in the energy-climate package presented by the European Commission on 23 January. Despite the obvious contribution that nuclear energy can make to the goals of increasing energy security of supply, combating climate change and remaining competitive, no special provision will be made in terms of burden-sharing and the renewables targets. The publication of the Commission's renewables targets indicates that this demand has not been taken up. Energy Commis-rnsioner Andris Piebalgs has often made clear that nuclear is not renewable. The sole new mitigating factor in the Commission's methodology, based on GDP per capita and a fixed percentage increase, for calculating the proportion of renewables in the energy mix is the effort by so-called 'early starters'. Despite the continuing cold showers, France, probably to be joined by a newly pro-nuclear UK, still appears to be maintaining that the real objective remains inore that of a low carbon future than one fuelled by renewable energies.