The Future of Nuclear Energy

What is the role of nuclear energy in the European context and why the new wave of interest for nuclear energy? H2 vs nuclear in industry: Apart from economics and security, it's a lot about politics and polity, but also about supply industry interests (often strongly supported by national government) 

Programme:

Session 1: Current issues: Overview of ongoing activities, nuclear in energy scenarios, and financing issues

0:00h – 0:05h    Introduction: Michael Pollit (EPRG, University of Cambridge)
0:05h – 0:50h    Panel 1 (3 inputs à 15 minutes: Steve Thomas (University of Greenwich), Christian Breyer (LUT), Joe Rippon (EdF UK)
0:50h – 1:05h    Further questions, discussion
1:05h - 1:15h    break

Session 2: Longer-term issues: Technico-economic assessment of non-conventional nuclear

1:15h – 1:20h    Introduction 2: Reinhard Madlener (NTNU and RWTH Aachen)
1:20h – 2:05h    Panel 2 (3 inputs à 15 minutes: Tony Roulstone (EPRG, University of Cambridge), Jacopo Buongiorno (MIT), Célestin Piette (TRACTEBEL) 
2:05h – 2:20h    Further questions, discussion
2:20h – 2:30h    Closing

Speakers

Stephen Thomas (University of Greenwich)

Stephen Thomas is Professor of Energy Policy in the Business School of the University of Greenwich, London, where he has led the energy research since 2001. He has a BSc in Chemistry (Bristol). He has worked as an independent energy policy researcher for 35 years. From 1979-2000, he was a member of the Energy Policy Programme at SPRU, University of Sussex and in 2001, he spent a year as a visiting researcher in the Energy Planning Programme at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He has published extensively on reforms to electricity industries worldwide and on the corporate policies of energy companies. He has published extensively on economics and policy on nuclear power.

Christian Breyer (LUT)

Christian Breyer is Professor for Solar Economy at LUT University, Finland. His major expertise is the integrated research of technological and economic characteristics of renewable energy systems on a local but also global scale. Publications cover integrated sector analyses with power, heat, transport, desalination, industry, and negative CO2 emission options. He published more than 300 scientific papers, thereof more than 100 in scientific journals. His academic background is general business, physics and energy systems engineering and a PhD in electrical engineering.

Joseph Rippon (EdF UK)

Joseph Rippon is Sizewell C Financing Programme Manager at EDF Energy. He is an expert in electricity generation markets with a decade’s experience and understanding of market mechanisms; regulation; government policy; and developments in generation technology. Deep experience performing strategic analysis and applying a broad range of financial, commercial and economic skills and knowledge.

Tony Roulstone (University of Cambridge)

Tony Roulstone established and teaches on the Nuclear Energy Masters programme in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. His research interests are the economics and safety of nuclear power with a focus on Small Modular Reactors. He was a visiting Professor of Nuclear Engineering at City University in Hong Kong 2012-2018. He received his degree from the University of Cambridge and has spent much of his career in the nuclear and aerospace industries, starting with UKAEA working on fast reactor systems and including 20 years at Rolls-Royce. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, an Associate Member of the Nuclear Institute. He is an independent adviser on SMR design to several companies.

Jacopo Buongiorno (MIT)

Jacopo Buongiorno is the Tokyo Electric Power Company Professor in Nuclear Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the Director of Science and Technology of the MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory. He teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in thermo-fluids engineering and nuclear reactor engineering. Jacopo has published 90 journal articles in the areas of reactor safety and design, two-phase flow and heat transfer, and nanofluid technology. For his research work and his teaching at MIT he won several awards. In 2016–2018 he led the MIT study on the Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon-Constrained World.

Célestin Piette (TRACTEBEL) 

Célestin Piette holds a Master in Chemical Engineering and a complementary Master in Management. As Nuclear Innovation Manager he leads Tractebel’s R&D and Business development on nuclear Industrial Applications, including hydrogen endeavors. On top of his Engie’s nuclear traineeship, he recently took a position of administrator in the European Society of Engineers and Industrials. Célestin acts as a representative for Tractebel within SMR international working groups such as WNA, OECD/NEA, IAEA and Foratom.