Abstract
Measuring resource efficiency can be achieved using different methods, of which primary energy demand is commonly used. The primary energy factor (PEF) is a figure describing how much energy from primary resources is being used per unit of energy delivered. The PEF for nuclear power is typically 3, which refers to thermal energy released from fission in relation to electricity generated. Fuel losses are not accounted for. However; nuclear waste represents an energy loss, as current plans for nuclear waste management mostly include final disposal. Based on a literature review and mathematical calculations of the power-to-fuel ratio for nuclear power, PEF values for the open nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) option of nuclear power and different power mixes are calculated. These calculations indicate that a more correct PEF for nuclear power would be 60 (range 32–88); for electricity in Sweden (41% nuclear power) PEF would change from 1.8 to 25.5, and the average PEF for electricity in the European Union (EU) would change from 2.5 to 18. The results illustrate the poor resource efficiency of nuclear power, which paves the way for the fourth generation of nuclear power and illustrates the policy implication of using PEFs which are inconsistent with current waste management plans.
Highlights
Nuclear power is sometimes seen as the solution to the climate crisis [1,2,3], as electricity produced in large quantities from the combustion of coal, oil, and natural gas needs to be replaced by alternatives with a much more limited climate impact
There are many flaws with primary energy measurements; this study focuses on an accurate primary energy factor for nuclear power
The examples above on primary energy factor (PEF) changes show that the PEF for Sweden increases from 1.83 to 25.5, while for the European Union (EU) in increases from 2.5 to 18, suggesting that the EU mix, despite its high use of fossil fuels in comparison to Sweden, is more resource efficient
Summary
Nuclear power is sometimes seen as the solution to the climate crisis [1,2,3], as electricity produced in large quantities from the combustion of coal, oil, and natural gas needs to be replaced by alternatives with a much more limited climate impact. Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and wave power will have to be vastly expanded to replace the current use of fossil fuels, but will in turn result in significant challenges in balancing supply and demand in a smart grid [4]. Even if a serious nuclear accident can cause considerable damage to humans and other living organisms for a very long time period, the impact on the overall assessment is minor given the limited probabilities (whether calculated or based on radiation damage statistics) for such accidents [11]
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