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Nuclear Power and Resource Efficiency—A Proposal for a Revised Primary Energy Factor

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  • Ola Eriksson

    (Department of Building, Energy and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Sustainable Development, University of Gävle, Gävle SE 801 76, Sweden)

Abstract

Measuring resource efficiency can be achieved using different methods, of which primary energy demand is commonly used. The primary energy factor (PEF) is a figure describing how much energy from primary resources is being used per unit of energy delivered. The PEF for nuclear power is typically 3, which refers to thermal energy released from fission in relation to electricity generated. Fuel losses are not accounted for. However; nuclear waste represents an energy loss, as current plans for nuclear waste management mostly include final disposal. Based on a literature review and mathematical calculations of the power-to-fuel ratio for nuclear power, PEF values for the open nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) option of nuclear power and different power mixes are calculated. These calculations indicate that a more correct PEF for nuclear power would be 60 (range 32–88); for electricity in Sweden (41% nuclear power) PEF would change from 1.8 to 25.5, and the average PEF for electricity in the European Union (EU) would change from 2.5 to 18. The results illustrate the poor resource efficiency of nuclear power, which paves the way for the fourth generation of nuclear power and illustrates the policy implication of using PEFs which are inconsistent with current waste management plans.

Suggested Citation

  • Ola Eriksson, 2017. "Nuclear Power and Resource Efficiency—A Proposal for a Revised Primary Energy Factor," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-10, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:6:p:1063-:d:102043
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ricardo Ramírez-Villegas & Ola Eriksson & Thomas Olofsson, 2019. "Environmental Payback of Renovation Strategies in a Northern Climate—the Impact of Nuclear Power and Fossil Fuels in the Electricity Supply," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Ricardo Ramírez-Villegas & Ola Eriksson & Thomas Olofsson, 2019. "Combined Environmental and Economic Assessment of Energy Efficiency Measures in a Multi-Dwelling Building," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Hamels, Sam & Himpe, Eline & Laverge, Jelle & Delghust, Marc & Van den Brande, Kjartan & Janssens, Arnold & Albrecht, Johan, 2021. "The use of primary energy factors and CO2 intensities for electricity in the European context - A systematic methodological review and critical evaluation of the contemporary literature," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    4. Rigby, Aidan & Lindley, Ben & Cullen, Jonathan, 2023. "An exergy based assessment of the efficiency of nuclear fuel cycles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    5. Ola Eriksson, 2017. "Energy and Waste Management," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-7, July.

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