Nuclear Energy in the Clean Energy Transition

As the world marks the International Day of Clean Energy in 2025, global momentum behind nuclear energy continues to build, with the clean power source set to generate record levels of electricity in the year ahead.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), a new era for nuclear energy beckons, as demand for clean and secure electricity grows around the world. The number of new projects, policies and investments are increasing, including in technological advances such as small modular reactors (SMRs).

"This news that the world breached 1.5C warming in 2024 comes as demand for energy is growing. One after another, technology companies looking for reliable low-carbon electricity to power AI and data centres are turning to nuclear energy, both in the form of traditional large reactors and SMRs," said the Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi this month in an article in La Revue de l'Énergie.

Nuclear energy's increasing momentum could be seen at COP28, where the first Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement called for the acceleration of nuclear and other low-emission technologies to help achieve deep decarbonization. Another key moment at the climate conference in Dubai was when more than 20 countries launched a declaration to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Last year at COP29 in Baku, Azerjaijan, a further six countries joined the call.

With its capacity to deliver low carbon electricity consistently 24/7, nuclear power has prevented around 70 gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2 emissions over the past five decades and continues to avoid more than 1 Gt CO2 annually, according to IAEA's "Climate Change and Nuclear Power 2022" report.