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UAE And Finland: Bolstering Clean Nuclear Energy In The Mix | |
| Staff Writer |
As part of its efforts to mitigate climate change, the UAE has taken significant steps to curb the carbon footprint of its energy system through the establishment of a nuclear program, the first of its kind in the Arab world. The decision to pursue a civilian nuclear energy programme was made after thorough deliberation in 2007. Remarkably, construction of the first reactor began in 2012 and was fully integrated with the UAE grid in just eight short years, marking the first of four reactors to come.
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The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, comprising four reactors of South Korean design is touted to be a game-changer in the energy sector, delivering up to 5,600 megawatts to satisfy a quarter of the UAE's total electricity demand. With Nawah Energy Company at the helm, this groundbreaking project has made remarkable strides, with a completion rate of over 97% as of June 2022, since its inception in July 2012.
Low-carbon electricity generation is predominantly made up of two sources, nuclear power and hydropower, which collectively account for 75% of global output. The Barakah Nuclear Energy plant, established with technical assistance from Finland's VTT and other consortium members, is a testament to the importance of these reliable energy sources.
Dr Petri Kotiluoto, Vice President of Nuclear Energy at VTT, shares exclusive insights on the UAE's bold aspirations and challenges faced in augmenting nuclear power in its energy blend during our conversation.
Q: In what ways do you think the Middle East will utilize nuclear power in future? And how is VTT hoping to expand in the Middle East?
A: It's very important to remember that Nuclear is also a part of the energy mix. The Middle East region has a hot and dry climate, with an arid and semi-arid environment. There is a great demand for electricity for cooling as well as for the industrial sector. Electricity is also used for the desalination of water. So, there are multiple applications in which nuclear energy can be used both today and also in the future.
We are interested in collaborating and expanding in the Middle East region. We have already established quite a bit of contact with several stakeholders. And we have a few ongoing projects, so we can build on that. We also just recently participated in the Utilities Congress in Abu Dhabi and developed contacts there. This is one of our strategic areas, at least in nuclear and we have recognized the United Arab Emirates, as one of the countries where we want to expand.
Q: Are there any major challenges in working in the Middle East?
A: I don't see any major challenges. I think the technological challenges in nuclear, are similar everywhere. For example, the Baraka Nuclear Power project is one of the success stories. It is on schedule and has had no major technical problems. Of course, we are here to help in case of any issues. Furthermore, the working culture and relationships have been working very well, so we collaborate well.
Q: Nuclear power, being considered the cleanest and most sustainable form of energy, how can this be widely utilized in the Middle East region to achieve its sustainable goals?
A: Of course, it can be more widely used, just by building more. To make nuclear energy fully sustainable, it's very important to consider the waste management issues by planning and conducting national programs for radioactive waste management and nuclear fuel disposal. In the UAE, the government has already initiated such programs and they have been proceeding well. Apart from the Baraka project, there are good plans to build low and intermediate-level waste repositories, as well as a repository for the final disposal of nuclear fuel.
Public acceptance and also sustainability are also very important. Different countries have different policies and different opinions about nuclear. In Finland, public acceptance is very high. We have built the first final deep geological repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel. This repository should have the operating license soon.
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Q: Smaller modular reactors are being developed as a viable alternative to conventional methods of energy production have increased dramatically during the past two years. Can you elaborate on this?
A: Yes, so, we have our own project also to develop specific small modular reactor concept called LDR 50. And we are also looking other SMRs and their utilisation in Finland and worldwide. In our own concept development, we are still in the early stages. We are now going into detailed technical designing and the safety analysis for our reactor concept. In parallel, there's also a commercial entity formed just recently to start the commercialisation of this concept as well.
Our concept is unique as we concentrate on low temperature, unlike other reactor technology where many look at high temperature for different industrial processes and combined heat process use. It is not easy to decarbonise the production of heat, used for district heating in Finland and elsewhere in Europe. It is easier to produce electricity. The SMRs would be a good option for that. But then low-temperature reactors could also be employed in water desalination processes which could also be interest of to the Middle East region.
Q: What would you like to do in your free time?
A: Well, I very much appreciate Finnish nature, it's wonderful to go there. I received the canoe from my wife as a birthday present just a few years ago. We sometimes do day trips paddling around lakes and rivers and that's quite nice.
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