Renewable energy contributed 20% of the US grid’s electricity in 2022. This number includes hydro, which constitutes 31.5% of the renewable contribution or 6.3% of the total.
To get to a 100% decarbonized grid is going to take an amazing amount of investment, time, land and infrastructure if we plan on getting there with renewables. With the growth in EV’s and electrification, the United States will need to build approximately 14 times more renewables than the current total.
France is also on track to a zero-carbon grid but their lift is much smaller. 68% of France’s electricity is from nuclear. Combine that with about 20% originating from renewables and France’s gap is both small and achievable.
Climate change is happening and at a more rapid pace than previously estimated. We need an all-hands-on-deck and all solutions approach to decarbonize our grid. Nuclear, especially small modular reactors, need to be a key component of this path.
To learn more about small nuclear reactors and their contribution to a zero carbon strategy, please join our LinkedIn Live Event: “Role of SMR in decarbonization of the grid”, Feb. 15 at 4:30 PM. Register here: https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7008521296120541184/