Advanced reactors ‘should get similar incentives to renewables’ New reactors such as that being developed by NuScale should get incentives similar to renewables, the Good Energy Collective says. A new policy research organisation has called on the next administration in the White House to establish a climate office and include a nuclear-specific staff position.

The US-based Good Energy Collective said the moves would be in line with recommendations in a plan put forward by Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, and the Evergreen Action group, established by staff of the Democratic governor of Washington, Jay Inslee. The Good Energy Collective urged the new administration to include advanced nuclear energy as a part of the climate response and set a clear mandate for adoption of the technology.

It said advanced nuclear energy should be integrated into climate legislation and incentives should be similar to those for renewables, including loan guarantees, production and investment tax credits, access to public land, and federal power purchase agreements.

The nuclear industry should create new business and finance models for new nuclear technologies and ensure a “robust commercialisation pathway” to bring advanced reactor designs to market.

“Nuclear energy will be needed to reach ambitious climate goals, but we must first reconstruct the technology for a new era complete with modern, socially-grounded approaches,” the Good Energy Collective said.

“Smart policies and better nuclear governance can help quickly shift the sector to a new, more sustainable pathway. Better governance will require a step-change by the administration, congress, and the nuclear industry.”

Date: Friday, 07 August 2020
Original article: nucnet.org/news/new-policy-group-calls-for-nuclear-specific-staff-in-white-house-8-4-2020