The List Issue 11

Nuclear, a modern version of the Scylla and Charybdis dilemma

In book XII of Homer’s Odyssey, Ulysses (Odysseus in Greek) finds himself faced with the following dilemma: His ship must traverse narrow waters occupied on each side by a monster. Scylla on one side, Charybdis on the other. If he chooses to pass close to Charybdis’ side, there is a chance that the ship will sink, and everybody dies. If he chooses Scylla’s side, some men will die, but the majority will survive. He chooses Scylla, the lesser evil. And some of his men die.

As I am attending the Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNETP) 2024 Forum this week, I cannot stop thinking about nuclear being the lesser evil, if an evil at all, in the context of the EU’s pursuit of green energy. The Nobel laureate physicist Hans Bethe considered nuclear power a necessity in the future. Granted, he was a friend, co-worker, and admirer of Oppenheimer, but still…

In our latest EU Energy Projects Podcast episode, we focus on the nuclear dilemma, and we hear from two opposing voices. One, is that of Claude Turmes, a member of the Green Party, who considers nuclear a risk not worth taking. The second, comes from representatives of SNETP and EU-funded nuclear energy projects, who believe that nuclear energy is a necessity if we wish to reach the EU Commission’s goals.

The alternative to nuclear, according to Claude Turmes, would be wind, solar, tidal energy. But here is what Bethe mentioned while discussing a similar topic in 1974, according to the New York Times: “Wind power is for the birds, tidal power is for the fish, and solar power makes sense chiefly in tropical places where the sun shines regularly.”

Of course, 50 years make a lot of difference in RES research and tech. However, we still have those “small” issues of storage and grid integration to consider.

It’s a debate that often elicits hot reactions, sometimes even… meltdowns. Our podcast episode also features some impassioned opinions – give it a listen and let me know if you see nuclear in the role of Scylla, Charybdis, or none of the above.

Cheers, Areti

In this episode of The EU Energy Projects Podcast, we delve into the intricate dance of progress and safety, exploring cutting-edge advancements and the contrasting views on nuclear energy’s role in the EU’s energy transition. Listen to the podcast here .

The Advanced Grid Interface for Innovative Storage Integration (AGISTIN) project is developing new forms of energy storage that meet grid needs for short-duration flexibility and stability, reduce the impact of new, large demand on the grid, and reduce costs for large grid users. Read the article here .

This HORIZON EUROPE project is striving to create a more flexible energy ecosystem, removing barriers to interoperability and championing standardized approaches. Its goal is to decarbonise EU grids and place the end-user at the centre of the energy transition. Read the article here .

By maximizing the level of energy autarky of a local energy system, RENergetic empowers renewable energy communities to inhabit energy islands based on an Economy of Quality, fuelling their involvement in processes traditionally hidden for local communities. Learn more about RENergetic here .

EUSEW 2024 Programme

The 18th edition of the Policy Conference will take place in a hybrid format in Brussels and online on 11-13 June 2024.

You can check out the programme here and register here . Stay tuned for more info and stories regarding the European Sustainable Energy Week!

The first ETIP SNET Regional Workshop of 2024, which is dedicated to Europe’s Central Region will take place online via web-stream on May 16th from 10:00am to 1:00pm (CEST).

It is part of a new series under the theme: National actions for decarbonisation of the energy sector to deliver the EU Green Deal

Hosted by Axual this webinar will focus on unlocking the future of the energy sector by exploring event-driven architecture. Jeroen van Disseldorp, CEO & Founder of Axual and Laurent Schmitt, Head of Utilities & European Developments at dcbel & President at Digital4Grids will discuss the evolution from SOA to event streaming, adoption of open source platforms and Understand the critical role of TSOs and DSOs as integrators of cutting-edge technologies. Learn more and sign up for the webinar here .