WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 16, 2021) – Today the Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) and Partnership for Global Security (PGS) released a joint report defining a comprehensive strategy for the U.S. to become the global leader in advanced nuclear power. Based on extensive stakeholder engagement, the strategy outlines the domestic and international activities that will be required to ensure the United States can lead in the development and deployment of next generation nuclear technologies through collaboration between government, industry, civil society, and other nations.
The strategy builds on input from multiple stakeholders. Organizations that generally endorse the strategy and the importance of advanced reactors include: American Nuclear Society, Bipartisan Policy Center, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, ClearPath, Energy Innovation Reform Project, Good Energy Collective, Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization, and Third Way.
“Clean energy technologies including advanced nuclear energy are essential to meet mid-century emission reductions goals,” explained NIA Executive Director Judi Greenwald. “It will take a whole-of-society effort to address climate change and to fulfill advanced nuclear energy’s promise as a climate solution. This report’s high-level recommendations for government, industry and civil society are a starting point. We look forward to working with the endorsing organizations and others in the energy community to engage key audiences in Washington and elsewhere to ensure U.S. policy supports the development and deployment of advanced nuclear energy.”
“The intersection of climate change, nuclear power, and global security is an important and dynamic policy area and this report advances the actions required to manage that nexus,” said Ken Luongo, President of the Partnership for Global Security. “The U.S. must again become a leader in the international nuclear market if it is to ensure that the next generation of nuclear technologies support effective global security by reducing climate impacts, responding to the need for clean energy growth, and ensuring strong global best practices for security and non-proliferation. There are many moving pieces required for advanced reactors to thrive in a complex energy and international environment and this report brings all those threads together in a concise set of well-informed recommendations.”
At the domestic level, the strategy explores how public-private partnerships can drive innovation to commercialize advanced reactor technologies. The Biden Administration and Congress have critical roles to play in leading government innovation efforts and funding demonstration projects. An emerging group of advanced reactor innovators must continue their work to design next generation technology that can deliver low-carbon competitive power. At the same time, federal policy must address environmental justice concerns and engage local communities.
Internationally, the strategy highlights how advanced nuclear energy can be imbued into U.S. foreign policy and international relations. The imperatives of climate change, as noted by the Biden Administration, underscore the importance of climate friendly technologies in U.S. foreign affairs. Domestic innovation is the foundation for global leadership and will enable the U.S. to open markets for U.S. exports and establish global norms in safety and non-proliferation.
The report was publicly released along with a webinar today moderated by Dean Scott of Bloomberg Industry. It features presentations by Judi Greenwald and Ken Luongo along with comments from Jennifer Gordon of The Atlantic Council, Jessica Lovering of Good Energy Collective and Niko McMurray of Clear Path. To download a copy of the report, visit https://nuclearinnovationalliance.org/us-advanced-nuclear-energy-strategy.
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A PDF version of this press release is available at: https://nuclearinnovationalliance.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/NIA%20press%20release%20final%20NIA%20PGS%20AR%20strategy%2002%2016%202021_0.pdf
About the Organizations
The Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) is a non-profit think-and-do-tank working to enable nuclear power as a global solution to mitigate climate change. Through policy analysis, research, and education, we are catalyzing the next era of nuclear energy. Our organization is funded primarily through charitable grants and philanthropic donations from climate-concerned individuals and organizations.
The Partnership for Global Security (PGS) is a recognized international leader and innovator in nuclear and transnational security policy, developing actionable responses to 21st century security challenges by engaging international, private sector, and multidisciplinary expert partners to assess policy needs, identify effective strategies, and drive demonstrable results.
STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT FROM ENDORSING ORGANIZATIONS
“On behalf of America’s nuclear technology community, the American Nuclear Society welcomes the new roadmap from the Nuclear Innovation Alliance and Partnership for Global Security. Congress and the administration would be wise to consider the strategy’s recommendations. By unleashing the next wave of nuclear technologies, the U.S. can decarbonize the power grid at a faster and more affordable pace without sacrificing our prosperity or security. American nuclear engineers and scientists are ready to design, construct and operate tomorrow’s advanced reactors.” - Statement from Craig Piercy, CEO and Executive Director of the American Nuclear Society
“For the United States—let alone the world—to meet mid-century climate goals we will need an array of new zero-carbon energy technologies including advanced nuclear reactors for power and industrial heat generation. This report lays out a blueprint for America to become the global leader of this clean industry of the future.” – Statement by Dr. Addison Killean Stark, Associate Director for Energy Innovation, Bipartisan Policy Center
“The climate challenge will require a whole-of-economy approach that includes both near-term solutions and longer-term innovative technology development. Existing nuclear power accounts for the majority of clean electricity in the United States, but as that fleet ages we need to invest in innovation that leads to more versatile and deployable zero-emission nuclear. With climate impacts already apparent and worsening, every solution is critical. From wind and solar to battery storage and advanced nuclear, each will play its part in the decarbonized economy of 2050.” - Statement from Bob Perciasepe, President of Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
"The Advanced Reactor Strategy Report is an excellent roadmap for achieving the clean energy benefits of advanced nuclear and how we can drive down costs. This comprehensive report looks at what would take across the entire nuclear industry to make nuclear energy successful from modernizing the regulatory structure, demonstrating and deploying advanced reactors and ensuring American leadership." – Statement by Jeremy Harrell, Managing Director of Policy, ClearPath
“Advanced nuclear reactors are critical to decarbonization, both domestically and internationally, and the U.S. role in the global nuclear energy marketplace is vitally important to our national security and economic competitiveness. EIRP applauds the work that NIA and PGS have done to map out a strategy for U.S. leadership in this essential industry at a time when policymakers should be giving the utmost attention to these questions.” – Statement by Sam Thernstrom, Energy Innovation Reform Project
“From its inception, the Nuclear Innovation Alliance has staked out the path for commercialization of advanced reactors. Their latest strategy builds on the major policy wins of the past five years, and incorporates new insights and issues for the next phase of work ahead. This is an exceptionally helpful effort for the nuclear policy community.” – Statement from Good Energy Collective
"The Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization supports the goals of the U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Strategy produced by the Nuclear Innovation Alliance and the Partnership for Global Security. Nuclear power and advanced reactors are a critical component of a zero carbon future and the U.S. universities look forward to developing the people and ideas to help make this happen." – Statement by Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization
“The Biden Administration has a window of opportunity to continue the nuclear innovation work started during the Obama-Biden presidency. This is important to follow through on deploying advanced reactors as part of an ambitious plan to decarbonize the power sector by 2035, which is essential for our climate goals and creating good-paying, union jobs. As a leader on this issue, Third Way works closely with organizations like NIA and PGS. We are excited to support a comprehensive strategy that captures the actions required to ensure these technologies move from the labs to commercialization.” – Statement from Jackie Kempfer, Senior Policy Advisor, Climate and Energy Program, Third Way