China Nuclear Energy Sustainable Development Forum observation

"Jiangsu Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant nuclear energy industry steam transformation is advancing in an orderly manner; Nuclear power desalination has provided water security for many nuclear power plants, and commercial nuclear power desalination projects are being explored. Hainan Changjiang multi-purpose modular small reactor demonstration project has entered the nuclear island installation stage, in addition to power generation, will also provide steam and seawater desalination services for surrounding enterprises; A number of provinces, including Jiangsu, Guangdong and Guizhou, are planning and deploying high-temperature gas-cooled reactors and small reactors for comprehensive utilization." When talking about the current progress of the diversified use of nuclear energy in China, Wang Binghua, a special adviser to the Expert Committee of the China Nuclear Energy Industry Association, said.

For the significance of the comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy, in Wang Binghua's view, nuclear energy and its comprehensive utilization has the advantages of significant carbon emission reduction benefits, safety and stability, and is one of the important means to help China achieve the goal of dual carbon.

Wang Binghua said that on the one hand, comprehensive utilization is conducive to improving the efficiency of nuclear energy utilization, the current efficiency of nuclear power generation is about 37%, through the direct use of heat energy, can realize the cascade utilization of energy; On the other hand, to promote the diversified development of the nuclear energy industry, nuclear energy projects will be from the previous single power supply to heating, steam, hydrogen production, seawater desalination, refrigeration and other fields of development, nuclear power enterprises will become comprehensive energy and product service providers, and promote the emergence of new business models.

Wang also expressed his optimism about the prospects of comprehensive use of nuclear energy. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency's World Nuclear Power Reactors report, by the end of 2021, 69 units in 11 countries around the world have achieved one or both of the comprehensive utilization of district heating, industrial heating, and seawater desalination. In terms of nuclear hydrogen production, the United States, France and other nuclear power countries are increasing investment and accelerating the layout. China is also actively promoting the comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy in clean heating, industrial heating, seawater desalination and other fields. The comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy is contributing more 'nuclear' power to China's green and low-carbon development." Wang Yiren said.

Nuclear power needs to be built at a certain pace and scale

In the context of the accelerated reshaping of the current global energy pattern, nuclear energy, as a green and low-carbon energy, still has a long way to go in improving the level of energy security, promoting carbon emission reduction, and achieving the goal of carbon peak carbon neutrality.

Huang Feng, director of the Working Committee of the Nuclear Energy Think Tank of the China Nuclear Energy Industry Association, predicted that the electricity consumption of the whole society is expected to reach 11.5 trillion KWH in 2030, 13.1 trillion KWH in 2035, and 16 trillion KWH in 2060. In 2060, in order to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, the proportion of non-fossil energy generation in China should reach about 85%, and under the high development goal of 5.85 billion kilowatts of new energy installed capacity such as wind power and solar power (5.570, -0.01, -0.18%), there will still be about 2.8 trillion KWH of non-fossil power generation gap in the country.

"Based on the preliminary analysis of power and electricity demand balance, China's nuclear power (7.690, 0.01, 0.13%) needs to maintain a certain speed and scale of construction in the future." Huang Feng said.

Wang Yiren also expressed a similar view, he believes that China's nuclear power installed capacity is expected to further expand, the use of nuclear energy will play multiple roles. It is expected that by 2030, China's installed capacity of nuclear power is expected to exceed that of the United States and become the first in the world, occupying a more important position in the world nuclear power industry pattern. Based on the research results of many institutions, it is expected that by 2035, China's nuclear power generation will account for about 10% of the total power generation.

At the same time, Wang Yiyan made it clear that China's nuclear energy industry will actively explore and promote the new development model of "nuclear energy +", promote the coupling development of nuclear energy and petrochemical, steel and other energy-consuming industries, and establish a regional comprehensive energy system that integrates power supply, heating, hydrogen production and seawater desalination to support the low-carbon transformation of the national economy.