NUCLEAR POWER AND ITS ROLE IN LIMITING CO2 EMISSIONS

NUCLEAR POWER AND ITS ROLE IN LIMITING CO2 EMISSIONS. The objective of this study is to analyze the proper role of nuclear power in the long term energy planning by comparing different type of scenarios in terms of CO2 emission reduction, based on the Business-as-Usual (BAU) scenario. For this purpose, a MESSAGE (Model of Energy Supply Systems and their General Environmental impacts) was used to develop energy planning as well as CO2 emission projection. A sensitivity analysis for CO2 reduction rates of 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% have been done. From this sensitivity analysis, it can be concluded that nuclear will be a part of optimum solution under CO2 limitation of at least 3% from BAU condition. The more the environmental standards are tightened and enforced the more and the earlier nuclear power becomes part of the optimum generation mix.