Let's no longer waste our energies opposing them, let's commit to a responsible mix!

Nuclear power is declining all over the world… except in France

While in 2021, the share of nuclear in the global energy mix fell, for the first time in 40 years, to only 9,8%^[1], the French government has announced its desire to invest in the development of mini-reactors and nuclear power plants, as a solution to the energy crisis we are going through.

Plants that will be effective in 10 to 15 years, if they do not take the road to Flamanville, started since 2007, and recently qualified by the Court of Auditors as "operational failure" involving "cost drifts and considerable delays" .^[2]

As a corollary, still in 2021, more than 10%^[3] of the world's electricity was supplied by solar and wind infrastructures, the contribution to the energy mix of these renewable energies exceeding that of nuclear for the first time.

The reason ? Renewable energy technologies, photovoltaic and wind power in the lead, are today mature, and thus more economical, safer and faster to build, at the same time making renewable energy projects more competitive on the markets.

Of course, the French context is specific. Our history with nuclear power makes it unthinkable to do without it overnight. But we could show more voluntarism to accelerate the transition. For example, by putting 1 euro in renewables, when you put 1 euro in nuclear. By mixing yesterday's energy with other sustainable and tomorrow's energy sources, France would commit to a more responsible mix to gradually do without fossil fuels of all kinds, whether carbon or mineral such as 'uranium.

Let us give the example of the construction of the Flamanville EPR, the cost of which exceeds 10 billion euros, this represents around a hundred photovoltaic power stations, or the equivalent of 60 m² of panels installed and operational, in only a few months, which will require little or no maintenance or operating costs, which will not generate any waste that is long-lived, polluting and requires great storage precautions for entire generations.

Photovoltaics is becoming more democratic… but (geo)political support is still necessary

Never has the social consensus around the role of photovoltaics in the energy transition been so strong.

Because not only is photovoltaic technology mature and safe, but it offers a high economic advantage, it is produced from energy available from morning to evening, and made from materials that are up to 95% recyclable.^[4]. Because unlike fossil fuels, the sun is an inexhaustible source of energy that is accessible to everyone, everywhere in the world.

Advantages well perceived by the French, who, despite the administrative burden and a tax system with little incentive, invest massively in the purchase of solar panels^[5].

As a result, self-consumption of electricity has never been so successful in France with individuals and, more recently, companies, all concerned with reducing their bills or at least, in the current context, limiting them. the flight.

To continue to democratize photovoltaics and make it a sustainable solution, a whole sector must now be rethought to avoid supply problems, the shortage of components, but also to control the environmental footprint of construction. panels for example.

On October 11, the European Commission launched work to set up a European alliance of the solar photovoltaic industry.^[6]. Its goal: "to develop manufacturing technologies for innovative solar photovoltaic products and components", and thus "to contribute to accelerating the deployment of solar energy throughout the EU and to improving the resilience of the EU's energy system. 'EU'.

Understand: support and strengthen a European production sector in the face of Asian competition, in an energy context of great tension, which (re) puts the challenges of transition in the foreground.

This initiative, of course, we support. But we also call for it to be backed up by another issue: that of the price of energy, or rather, its calculation. Because in a globalized market based on free trade, the value of energy is not calculated in the same way depending on the country.

However, we have a common interest in working on methods of calculating the unified kilowatt-hour price, integrating measurements of the environmental impacts of energy production, and carbon taxes linked to their mode of consumption.

Ultimately, the current crisis offers us a unique opportunity to rethink our relationship with energy. With three priorities. First, consume less: overconsumption is also observed at the energy level. Next, relocate: the current crisis shows us the limits of the globalization of energy markets and the geopolitical risks of our dependencies. Finally, compromise: renewable energies are the (only) sustainable options for building the energy model of tomorrow, including dams, wind turbines, biomass and obviously solar thermal and photovoltaic energy.

Tribune by Ian Bard, Technical and Commercial Director of SOLARWATT France (LinkedIn).

^[1]World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR)

^[2]The Flamanville EPR is once again behind schedule (lemonde.fr)

^[3]Commission kicks off work on a European Solar Photovoltaic Industry Alliance | European Commission (europa.eu)

^[4]Photovoltaic panels: what impact on the environment. (solarwatt.fr)

^[5]The French rush to solar panels (la-croix.com)

^[6] Commission launches work for a European Solar Photovoltaic Industry Alliance | European Commission – European Photovoltaic Industry Alliance (europa.eu)