In the wake of growing health, environmental and energy needs, a new dialogue is emerging
[Canadian government] investments of $800 million over five years support government priorities, while also helping Canadian industry access world-leading nuclear science and technology facilities and expertise.” Dr. Shannon Quinn, Vice-President, Science, Technology and Commercial Oversight for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Canada is among 23 states (22 nations and the European Union) that have agreed to double their national investments in clean energy innovation over five years, while also encouraging the private sector to invest in clean energy technologies. The global initiative known as Mission
Innovation was launched in November 2015 at the United Nations international climate change conference, COP21. Canada’s participation is central to two high-priority federal government goals: to promote sustainable economic growth through innovation, and to drive the country’s transformation into a low-carbon economy.
Canada believes that nuclear energy has a key role to play in the achievement of these two closely connected aspirations.
“Canada is one of nine countries to confirm that nuclear energy research and development (R&D) is an important part of
Mission Innovation,” says Dr. Shannon Quinn, vice-president, science, technology and commercial oversight for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL).
One of the measures the federal government implemented to strengthen Canada’s nuclear industry and increase its international competitiveness was to restructure AECL’s Nuclear Laboratories division into a government-owned, contractor-operated model. The restructuring completed at the end of 2015 created the new entity known as Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), with most of its facilities located at Chalk River, in Ontario.
“The government has also committed to long-term support of the R&D at the laboratories,” Dr. Quinn says. “These investments of $800 million over five years support government priorities, while also helping Canadian industry access world-leading nuclear science and technology facilities and expertise.”
Canada’s historic leadership in nuclear technology has produced strong benefits and will help position Canada and Canadian industry for leadership in the future, Dr. Quinn says.
“The Chalk River facilities are Canada’s largest scientific site,” she says. “This was the birthplace of the CANDU technology – the basis of a $6-billion-a-year domestic nuclear industry that provides 30,000 direct jobs and 15 per cent of Canada’s electricity mix.”
Experts predict that by the middle of this century, the world will use twice as much energy as it does today, and without more clean energy at an affordable cost, the climate change challenge will become more difficult to meet.
There is a lot of interest around the world in developing these smaller reactors. Different startup companies have different designs; some are using a water-cooled reactor, others are looking at liquid-metal cooling or gas-cooling technologies.” Dr. Kathryn McCarthy, Vice-President, Research and Development at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
With nuclear energy’s proven low-carbon strengths and the cost-effectiveness of the electricity it generates, researchers are investigating new technologies to further improve affordability.
“The energy market is very competitive and, in some cases, nuclear energy may have a difficult time competing with other sources, particularly when other sources are subsidized,” says Dr. Kathryn McCarthy, Vice-President, Research and Development at CNL.
“Nuclear energy has the highest capital cost but one of the lowest O&M costs. The fuel (uranium) is relatively inexpensive, and the price of uranium is relatively stable,” says Dr. McCarthy. “Meanwhile, a natural gas plant, for example, is less costly to build, but the electricity cost depends on the price of natural gas – which is volatile and can reach high levels.” When natural gas prices are low, as they are now, the competitive case for nuclear can get more complex, she explains.
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and many industry players are conducting R&D into technologies with the potential to reduce capital costs and speed up the construction of nuclear energy installations. Investigative areas include manufacturing techniques and new types of fuel – and innovations to benefit existing nuclear generating stations and to improve development of future plants.
According to Dr. McCarthy, CNL stands ready to work with industry partners to help them break new ground, including in the emerging technologies around small modular reactors (SMRs).
“There is a lot of interest around the world in developing these smaller reactors,” she says. “There are many different designs under development by vendors and startup companies, with coolants ranging from the more conventional water to coolants such as liquid metal or molten salts.
“We have the capability to do the fuel development and testing here, and help with refinement of the materials. We can also support companies in building prototypes and building the economic case for these innovative technologies.”
Small modular reactors are generating considerable excitement among nuclear industry players, says Steven Coupland, director of regulatory and environmental affairs with the Canadian Nuclear Association.
“A range of sizes are being explored – from units that come in packs that would connect to grid baseload and replace coal plants, for example, to smaller units designed to go into northern, off-grid communities or mining operations, to replace diesel generation,” says Coupland.
The smaller reactors hold prospects for cost-effective applications within Canada, as well as elsewhere in the world, he adds. “Consider that many parts of the world do not have access to extensive water resources. That means that options for using hydro power as a non-emitting baseload power source are limited in many regions. The clear alternative is nuclear energy.”
Nuclear energy is a prime clean technology for many reasons, Coupland says. The clear advantage is that it emits virtually no greenhouse gases.
“The single biggest reduction in carbon emissions in Canada and in North America occurred when Ontario stopped electricity generation by coal-fired plants. That initiative was made possible because of the clean energy generated by the province’s significant assets in nuclear energy, as well as hydro,” he says.
Another strength of nuclear energy is its small environmental footprint. As Coupland explains: “Nuclear generating stations create massive amounts of electricity on a reasonably small physical area. To generate comparable amounts of electricity using other technologies such as wind turbines, for example, would take up very large tracts of land.”
Nuclear power companies have also developed strong environmental protection programs to preserve habitat, water quality and species around their sites, he adds.