The UK Government Aims to Promote Nuclear Energy by Working with Rolls-Royce
Around the world, countries are moving away from fossil fuels and are using alternative sources to produce energy. In recent years the main focus has been on developing renewable energy solutions and using clean sources to produce energy. While that still is one of the most important things for the UK, the government is starting to focus more and more on nuclear energy.
All active nuclear reactors that are currently active in the UK are supposed to be decommissioned by 2030. Challenges associated with maintaining and repairing nuclear power stations contributed to the energy crisis the UK is dealing with at the moment. Moreover, as the winds are projected to be less and less strong in the next few years, relying on wind energy as the main energy source might not be a sustainable solution.
Nuclear power is a sustainable and clean energy. In fact, when deriving uranium from seawater we can make it be 100% sustainable. That is the main reason why the UK government has shown support for the creation of 16 small nuclear reactors that Rolls-Royce planned.
The project will cost £450 million and will result in nuclear energy being more accessible and cheaper. To find out what that means for you and your energy bills, keep reading.
Small nuclear reactors explained
Small modular reactors, also referred to as SMRs, are partially-prefabricated reactors capable of generating electricity faster and cheaper than a nuclear power plant of regular size.
The construction of conventional power plants requires big upfront costs and takes a long while. SMRs are built using mass production methods so they can be operational in 2030. Moreover, their production uses only the British supply chain so there is no need to worry about import taxes or delays in getting parts from abroad.
Once they are built, each SMR will be generating up to 470 megawatts of electricity per hour. That is enough energy to deliver energy to a million homes in the UK.
So, are you wondering how SMRs actually work? Niccolo has got the answer:
SMRs are small and quick to assemble. Their modular sections are constructed in factories and assembled on-site. Thanks to that, the process of manufacturing them is safer.
Once they are put together, they work using nuclear fission just like regular nuclear power plants do. Some SMRs also use new technologies unseen in conventional power plants. Typically, SMRs rely on either thermal-neutron reactors or fast-neutron reactors. For the time being, it has not been announced which one will be used in the discussed project.
UK government invested £210 million in small nuclear reactors
For the project. Rolls Royce allocated £250 million and the UK government has matched it with £210.
Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng commented saying that “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the UK to deploy more low carbon energy than ever before and ensure greater energy independence… Small modular reactors offer exciting opportunities to cut costs and build more quickly, ensuring we can bring clean electricity to people’s homes and cut our already-dwindling use of volatile fossil fuels even further.”
This project can help the UK reduce global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial temperatures, which is one of COP26’s commitments. Thanks to this investment, the UK can reduce its impact on the planet and get closer to achieving net-zero by 2050. What is also important is the fact that thanks to supporting the project financially, the UK government can contribute to further developing and regulating SMRs, guiding them through the Office of Nuclear Regulation generic design assessment (GDA) process.
As for future costs, each SMR will cost around £2 billion on average. That is significantly less than conventional power plants, which cost at least £16 billion.
Rolls Royce wants to deliver a low cost programme of new nuclear power plants
As the Rolls-Royce SMR consortium’s chief executive Tom Samson said, the goal of the company is to ‘deliver a low cost, deployable, scalable and investable programme of new nuclear power plants.’
As SMRs are built with ‘predictable factory-built components’ and already tested technologies, they are thought to be a more reliable and investable nuclear option.
Rolls Royce predicts that the programme will return £52 billion of value to the national economy by 2050 and generate a nuclear energy export market worth £250 billion. Thanks to that around 40,000 high-value jobs can be created within ailing manufacturing communities in northern England and Wales.
Nuclear energy can help the UK achieve net-zero
The UK is committed to being completely carbon-neutral by 2050. To achieve this goal, however, the reliance on fossil fuels to heat homes and businesses needs to be reduced. We are getting closer to achieving net-zero by growing renewable energy infrastructure. The UK is now the world’s leading producer of wind energy,has a strong solar infrastructure and can rely on hydropower to generate energy at short notice should it be necessary. Moreover, customers can now choose to source their energy from green gas, which is produced from animal and human waste.
Despite these achievements in terms of advancing renewable energy infrastructure in the UK, a lot of progress still needs to be made and it can be achieved thanks to investing in nuclear energy.
Pros and cons of nuclear energy
Even though nuclear energy can help the UK achieve net-zero, there are also some cons associated with it. Have a look at the table below to find out what the main advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy are:
| Pros of nuclear energy | Cons of nuclear energy |
| ReliabilityEffectivenessSmall land footprintCarbon-neutralBecoming lower-waste | High upfront costsUranium is not renewableErrors can be dangerousLegacy waste |
The main advantage of nuclear energy is that nuclear fission is a 100% carbon-neutral way of generating energy. There are no greenhouse gases released in the process. Uranium that is needed for this process is still rare but it is possible to harvest uranium from seawater. Once we master that, we can make nuclear power carbon-free and fully renewable.
Finally, what is really important for energy users, nuclear energy, which is cheaper to produce at large scale, can help households save money on energy bills.
Do you know which 6 appliances use the most electricity in your home?
If you noticed that your energy bills are very high. Or you are simply looking for ways to lower your energy consumption and pay less for energy, you have to take a minute to understand which of your appliances use the most energy. It is especially important now as the UK is struggling with rapidly increasing energy prices and many households have to pay higher energy bills than ever before.
Analysing which appliances use the most electricity and avoiding using them too often is a good way to start saving money on energy bills. In addition to that, you should do a price comparison and switch suppliers. Thanks to that you can ensure that your tariff is the most competitive one there is.
You should also install a smart meter, which you can get for free thanks to the smart meter rollout happening in the UK.
6 Appliances that use the most electricity
Here we take a look at the appliances that most of us have that consume the most electricity:
| Air conditioning | Many of us like to use air conditioning during hot summer months. Not everyone is aware, however, how much electricity they consume. If you want to save money on your energy bills, you should consider using fans instead. |
| Refrigerator | Of course, to keep the food cold, refrigerators have to be kept running 24 hours a day. There is not much you can do about it. What you can and should do, however, is make sure your refrigerator is energy-efficient when you are buying a new one. |
| Washer and dryer | You should only use the washer once you have enough clothes for the full load. Moreover, you should leave the clothes out to dry on their own rather than use the dryer. |
| Dishwasher | Dishwashers are very convenient and can actually help you use less water than if you were washing dishes by hand. Nevertheless, you should only use it once it’s full and you should always use the eco mode. |
| TV | Nowadays you can purchase LED TVs that consume way less energy than regular ones. To save even more energy, make sure to turn the TV on once you leave the room. |
| Computer | We all use desktops and laptops for professional and entertainment purposes. To save money and make them consume less energy we should not leave them plugged in all the time. |
Why are my energy bills so high?
In recent weeks almost everyone in the UK has seen a spike in their energy bills. That is because the UK is dealing with an energy crisis and rising wholesale energy prices. That means that suppliers have to pay more for energy they then deliver to customers and have to make up for it by making their tariffs more expensive.
Nevertheless, your energy bills might also be very high if you do not develop good energy-consumption habits. That said, you might be leaving the lights on when you leave the room or you might be heating the house while you’re not there. These habits are easy to change and can help you reduce your energy bills quickly.
How to lower my energy bills?
If you are looking to save money on energy bills, Niccolo is here to help. Have a look at some of the most effective tips that an help you quickly reduce your energy bills:
- Install a smart meter – they measure your real time consumption and automatically send your meter readings to the supplier, making sure that you are only getting billed for energy you actually consume
- Use appliances during off-peak times – some energy tariffs and meter types allow you to pay less for electricity during certain times. If that applies to you, make sure to make the most of your appliances then and not operate them outside of these hours
- Do not leave electronic appliances plugged in – not everyone is aware of the fact that appliances still consume electricity even when we are not using them. Once you are done using a laptop or a phone charger, make sure to unplug them
- Do not put appliances on standby mode – any device that offers a standby mode drains your electricity when you use it. Make sure you switch your laptop or TV off when you’re done using them.
- Use smart technologies – investing in thermostats or timers might require an upfront investment but it can help you save a lot of money in the long run. Thanks to them the lights and the heating system in your house will only be on when you actually need them.
At Niccolo, we are committed to helping our customers save money on energy bills. If you want to find out more about how to consume energy and how to spend less on energy, get in touch today by calling 0131 610 8868.
We are experts when it comes to energy-efficiency and we can assess your individual needs to come up with a personalised solution for you to save money on your energy supply. We can also offer you a competitive tariff if your existing contract is about to expire and you are thinking of switching suppliers.