Uncovering the technical potential of coal-to-nuclear (C2N) power generation on a global scale

Abstract

Summary: Decarbonization urgently calls for a substantial replacement of coal-fired power with carbon-free energy in the global energy landscape. However, the prevailing substitution of coal with variable renewable energy cannot be implemented universally due to possible higher cost and lack of power system flexibility. What is more, well-trained coal-fired power workers and surrounding communities are facing challenges. Therefore, we emphasize the unique value of coal-to-nuclear (C2N) in the energy transition by investigating 9,470 coal-fired power units globally. We identified that 14.3% (i.e., 371.6 GW) of them can be prioritized for C2N. The currently available nuclear technologies are feasible for C2N in three ways. A competitive levelized cost of electricity of US$71.84– US$101.48/MWh could be a strong driver when compared to coal+carbon capture and storage. Overall, C2N offers multifaceted benefits, and it can be a good supplement to the prevailing solar and wind renewables. Broader context: In this analysis, we aim to draw more attention to the game-changing idea of C2N to address the grand challenge of phasing out coal in the energy industry by “simply” replacing coal-fired burners with nuclear-powered burners and repurposing the infrastructure. We first summarized three major methods of C2N, i.e., replace-only-boilers, repurpose-from-brownfield, and return-to-greenfield, capturing detailed coal and nuclear technology compatibility data. Second, we investigated all coal-fired power units globally (2,600 GW) and identified that 14.3% of them are suitable C2N pioneers based on their age and proximity to major water sources. Interestingly, C2N indicates a competitive levelized cost of electricity of US$71.84– US$101.48/MWh, which could be even cheaper than that of the coal+carbon capture and storage solution. Developing C2N and solar wind renewables is not contradictory. Instead, C2N can be a well-balanced solution for the high penetration of weather-dependent renewables. Finally, since the whole process of C2N transition is a decade long, many regulation-related and technical challenges exist, and we need to plan and act now.

Keywords

• coal-to-nuclear
• potential assessment
• renewable energy source
• levelized cost of electricity
• LCOE
• energy system decarbonization