Assessing attitudes to nuclear European Commission. National governments and national authorities. Nuclear utilities and operators. Public sector expert institutes. Local and regional governments. Citizens, NGOs, CBOs, Trade Unions and Organisations.
Complicated by serious financial, fiscal and monetary difficulties. Focuses attention on energy futures public spending - including subsidies.
Eurobarometer, Feb 2007: Europeans and Nuclear Safety Very positive perception of nuclear energy for energy independency (69%). More stable energy prices (50%). Combat global warming (46%). Despite these observations, increasing the share of nuclear energy was not seen as the answer to Europe s energy challenges.
Eurobarometer, Nov 2007: Europeans and Nuclear Safety 34% would maintain the current share. Slight majority would choose to reduce the share of nuclear energy in the energy mix (39%). Absolute majority think that the risks posed by nuclear power outweigh its advantages (53%).
BBC Globescanopinion poll, Nov 2011. Public opposition to nuclear power has grown according to a survey of 23,231 adults in 23 countries. Most of those polled in countries with operational nuclear plants are opposed to building new reactors. Most believe that boosting efficiency and renewables can meet their needs.
BBC poll: safe unsafe Nuclear power is relatively safe and an important source of electricity, and we should build more nuclear power plants (22%). Nuclear power is dangerous and we should close down all operating nuclear plants as soon as possible (30%).
BBC poll: existing capacity Use the nuclear power stations we already have, but not build new ones (39%). Support for existing plants but not building new ones was strongest in France (58%). Spaniards (55%) and Germans (52%) were the keenest to shut existing plants down immediately.
BBC poll: Renewables Replace coal and nuclear energy within 20 years by becoming highly energy-efficient and focusing on generating energy from the Sun and wind (71%).
UK support for nuclear grows Support for building new nuclear plants has grown in the UK (33 % to 37%).
BBC poll broadly consistent with others IpsosMori, June 2011 Falling support for nuclear the technology in majority of countries, with support continuing in some. Nuclear has the lowest support of any established technology for generating electricity (38%).
Polls are all very well, but in practice UK:go-ahead in principle for a new generation of up to 8 NPP but Scotland will have no new NPP. Finland: grant permits for construction of the sixth and seventh commercial reactors. Bulgaria: started on Belene NPP. Poland: state utility PGE shortlists three sites as possible locations for their first NPP. CzechRepublic: moving ahead with a nuclear Warwick tender. Business School
Sweden:allows the replacement of existing reactors, ending their phase-out policy. Spain: no plans for expansion or closure. Policy may change with the new govt. and publication of the Strategic Nuclear Research and Development Committee (CEIDEN) Report. Holland: Borsselewill remain open until 2033, if it can comply with the highest safety standards. France: President Sarkozybacks nuclear power, but his Socialist opponent, François Hollande, now well ahead in the polls, proposes cutting nuclear by more than a third by 2025.
Nuclear phase out Italy:referendum to cancel plans for new reactors. Over 94% of the electorate voted in favor of the construction ban, with 55% of the eligible voters participating. Switzerland: abandons plans to build new nuclear reactors. Existing reactors to continue operating, but will not be replaced. The last will go offline in 2034. Belgium: nuclear phase out -no firm date set.
Declaration, May 25, 2011, Vienna Ministers and Heads of Delegations Austria, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta and Portugal: nuclear power is not compatible with the concept of sustainable development and underlined their conviction that nuclear power does not provide a viable option to combat climate change.
German consensus on nuclear As the first big industrialized nation, we can achieve such a transformation toward efficient and renewable energies, with all the opportunities that brings for exports, developing new technologies and jobs, Angela Merkel. Nuclear phase-out is doable and I don t expect unsolvable problems, Johan Flasbarth, President, German Environmental Protection Agency.
Why Finland? Nuclear has the reputation of the cheapest source of electricity generation. Mankalaprinciple : large industrial corporations (mainly forest and heavy industry), as shareholders of nuclear power companies, purchase electricity at cost price. Absence of serious nuclear accidents in Finland High reliability and load factor of Finnish reactors.
Finnish discussion culture The Finnish discussion culture can be summarised as one in which decisions should be preceded by an open debate, but once the decision has been made, according to the rules and regulations in force, there should no longer be room for complaints and further debate. Provided that proper procedures have been followed, changing course would mean losing face and identity.
Why Germany? Historic commitment to renewables. Renewable electricity doubled between 1998 and 2003 and doubled again between 2003 and 2008. Stands at 17% renewable electricity in 2010. Invented the fixed price feed-in-tariff. Its huge purchases of solar PV have driven down the world price of modules
Co-operatively and municipally owned energy companies Communities have secured political agreements: Bundesländerregions set goals and locations for for renewables. Ensures local energy resources and financial subsidies paid for by customers (feed-in tariffs) or tax-payers (cheap loans provided by the KfW bank) benefit the local people not companies. Profits and employment are kept in the region.
German energy policy matters to the rest of the Europe. Germany uses around a sixth of Europe s electricity and its decision has huge implications for the region. Germany's nuclear phase-out has important implications for a potential transmission and load-balancing EU-wide energy grid.
Denmark EU presidency, 1.1.12 Denmark: plans for 52% energy from renewables in 2020. Aims for 100% renewable energy supply by 2050. Aims to promote ambitious climate and energy goals for Europe.
Public values and low carbon futures Nuclear landscape within Europe is one of major national differences. Situated between state and market: choices and trade-offs over supply-side, demand-side, transmission and load-balancing infrastructure. Need to better understand involvement in EU energy systems and energy futures as a whole.
EU 2050 energy road map?
European energy policy offers a fairly open and flexible framework in which some member states could develop collective action on energy issues. The development of sustainable and affordable low carbon energy is a growing economic sector with huge potential for job creation.