ROADMAPS

Is there a nuclear energy roadmap for the U.S.?

Technology Roadmap for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems

While not a roadmap for just the U.S., the Technology Roadmap for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems dating from December 2002, was issued by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee and the Generation IV International Forum (GIF). The GIF is a consortium of ten countries with nuclear power that hope to develop technologically advanced nuclear energy systems, both in a cost-effective and safe, environmentally-friendly way. GIF hopes to have these new, safe, economic nuclear power plants ready for use by 2030. In January 2014, the updated 2010 “Generation IV International Forum Technology Roadmap” was released to the public. The updated roadmap confirmed the choice of six systems and focused on the most relevant developments that will define research and development (R&D) goals for the next decade. It suggested that the Gen IV technologies that are most likely to be deployed first are the sodium-cooled fast reactor, the lead-cooled fast reactor and the very high temperature reactor. The molten salt reactor and the gas-cooled fast reactor were shown as furthest from demonstration phase. [1]

Nuclear Power Research and Development Roadmap, Report to Congress

The DOE describes their approach to nuclear R&D as “long-term high-risk—high-payoff R&D.” [2] In the Nuclear Power Research and Development Roadmap, Report to Congress (April 2010), the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) lays out its roadmap of “research, development and demonstration activities that will ensure nuclear energy remains [a] viable energy option for the United States.” [3]

Nuclear Energy Technology Roadmap  

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) “Technology Roadmap: Nuclear Energy,”  (2015 edition) identifies technology, financing, policy and public engagement milestones that need to be achieved to realize the technology’s full potential by 2050. The long-term goal is to cut global carbon emissions by 50% by 2050. Other goals include high-level waste repositories being in operation in leading nuclear nations by 2020 and in all nuclear nations by 2030; demonstrating the most promising next generation nuclear power system by 2030 with full commercialization by 2040; and, to demonstrate the ability to build standardized designs on time and to cost by 2020. [4]

Updated: Rachel Werth, December 2018