A leading scientist has revealed what the UK Government needs to do in order to reach its ambitious net zero goals. Dr Tim Gregory, author and nuclear chemist, advocates for the advancement of nuclear power as a crucial step towards net zero. He told The Telegraph that nuclear power is “our best shot” at “sensibly achieving net zero” and producing enough electricity for things like electric vehicles and heat pumps.
Dr Gregory noted that the momentum for nuclear energy seems to be improving, with recent governmental moves indicating a shift. Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, made a pivotal announcement this week that the UK will invest £14.2 billion into the new Sizewell C nuclear station.
The announcement of Sizewell C by Mr Miliband, hailed as bringing a “golden age” for UK nuclear power, left Dr Gregory optimistic. “I’m delighted. It’s not every day a new 3.2 gigawatt nuclear reactor is announced.”
Dr Gregory was previously sceptical about the feasibility of reaching net zero. He said fossil fuels were “so deeply embedded in everything we do” due to their convenience and ease.
However, working on his book confirmed his belief that nuclear is the bestpathway to net zero. Dr Gregory said the country must build additional nuclear reactors to meet this goal.
He suggested that 10 reactors of the scale of Finland’s recently opened Olkiluoto-3 could rid Britain’s power grid of fossil fuels.
For Europe to do the same would require around 170 reactors of the same size; for the global achievement of this goal, a total of 1,500 such units would be needed. “That’s the scale of the net zero challenge,” he said.
Dr Gregory explained: “It’s actually possible. The science and technology is there already. We just need to get our act together and deploy it.
“We’re already at about 30% renewables in a lot of countries. What about 30% renewables, 70% nuclear? Then you’ve done it, and you can all talk about something else and just crack on.”