NPC: U.S. Must Expand Use of Nuclear Energy

The world “will need all economic, environmentally responsible energy sources,” including nuclear energy, to ensure an adequate, reliable energy supply, the US National Petroleum Council concluded in a report released last week.

US energy secretary Samuel Bodman requested the report, “Facing the Hard Truths About Energy,” to consider the future of oil and natural gas until 2030 in the context of the global energy system. The study relies on data from International Energy Agency and Energy Information Administration energy outlooks.

While fossil fuels “will remain indispensable to meeting total projected energy demand growth,” the council said the US also must expand its use of nuclear energy, biomass and renewable energy sources.

Global energy demand will increase by 50 percent to 60 percent by 2030. Political hurdles, infrastructure requirements and limited availability of trained energy-sector workers will strain the ability to meet this demand, the council said.

Additionally, “policies aimed at curbing carbon dioxide emissions will alter the energy mix and increase energy-related costs.” Therefore, “actions must be initiated now and sustained over the long term,” the council recommended.

For more, see the Hard Truths Web site.

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