International Atomic Energy Agency Forecasts Increase In Nuclear Power Use By 2050

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expects the world's nuclear energy use to double to 792 gigawatts by 2050, from 393 gigawatts last year, according to a press statement issued on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th September, 2021) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expects the world's nuclear energy use to double to 792 gigawatts by 2050, from 393 gigawatts last year, according to a press statement issued on Thursday.

The findings are based on the concept of a dramatic increase in global electricity production within the next three decades, and nuclear power is expected to grow in tandem.

"The new IAEA projections show that nuclear power will continue to play an indispensable role in low carbon energy production," IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.

"The report's findings represent an encouraging sign of increasing awareness that nuclear power, which emits no carbon dioxide during operation, is absolutely vital in our efforts to achieve net zero emissions."

The IAEA's "high" scenario foresees growth in this low-carbon energy source for the first time in a decade and expects its share to rise to 12% of global electricity by 2050. In 2020, nuclear power made up about 10% of world electricity.

The "low" scenario assumes that world nuclear power use will remain at the level of 392 gigawatts by 2050, representing 6% of total energy production.