Nuclear power is too expensive and “slow”, Australian study says

According to a study titled “The Net Zero Australia report”, produced through a collaboration between leading academic institutions and consulting firm Nous Group, Australia should not pursue nuclear power development if it wants to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. The study says nuclear power is too capital-intensive and takes too long to build. It says the Australian federal government should take decisive action to accelerate all relevant options that could “materially contribute” to achieving net-zero targets.

The report was published shortly after Australian opposition leader Peter Dutton publicly announced his support for developing nuclear power.

According to the study, the main areas of focus should be investment in battery storage, solar and wind power, pumped-storage power plants, and the transmission grid.

The study says nuclear power should not be included in plans to cut emissions to net zero, primarily because “lowering renewable energy targets in the belief that nuclear power will be deployed at scale later would create a material risk of failing to achieve net zero, or of doing so at excessive cost”.