Burning Bright

Nuclear advocate contests ‘unrealistic’ renewables scenarios.

- Keith Campbell

Australian-founded and -based, globally active nongovernmental organisation Bright New World argues that nuclear energy has a key role to play in ensuring both economic development and environmental sustainability.

“Our goal is a stable climate, human development and a rich nature,” explains the organisation’s founder and director, Ben Heard. “We want to address the benefits nuclear power can bring in this regard.”

He points out that emerging economies like South Africa still have major options when it comes to their future energy policies. And it is also these countries whose choices will be essential to the achievement of human development, maintaining a stable climate and a rich natural environment. “It is well known that there is a concept that South Africa would expand its nuclear capacity to 9.6 GW,” he observes. “We think this would be great for South Africa and the world. It would reduce dependence on coal, which puts our climate and biodiversity at risk.”

He highlights that, because the costs of nuclear are concentrated in the building phase, once a nuclear power plant has been commissioned and is in operation, its costs become stable and reliable.