Energy expert: Finland is well on its way in its low-carbon transition

As fears of impending global climate catastrophe are growing in the wake of ever newer revelations on the expected impacts of climate change, a worldwide quest is underway to mitigate those impacts.

“The news on climate change is alarming,” notes Riku Huttunen, director general of the Energy Department at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in Finland.

“Last year a report by the IPCC highlighted that in order to avoid harsh negative consequences, the aim of the Paris Accord should be to explore all of our options,” Huttunen explained at the Nordic Nuclear Forum, which was held in Helsinki in February. “We need swift action to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in every sector of the economy: industries, homes, agricultural, transportation, waste management, etc.”

Yet large-scale decarbonization is easier said than done. As much as 80% of the world’s energy supply still comes from the burning of fossil fuels and a sudden phasing out of coal and gas without low-carbon alternatives to take their place would be highly disruptive to the global economy.

“The challenge is enormous, especially in the context of global population growth and economic developments in developing countries,” Huttunen explained. “What should be done? It is evident that we need a huge amount of investment for energy transition. We should concentrate on increasing resource efficiency; for example by deploying non-emitting energy sources.”

As a Nordic nation with harsh weather through much of the year, Finland is largely ill suited for renewables like solar energy. The country is banking on nuclear power to reduce its carbon footprints in electricity generation, in tandem with a strategic deployment of renewable energy. “Nuclear energy is a central part of low-carbon electricity production here in Finland, [where] the share of CO2-free power is already at 80% and growing, thanks to investments in renewables and nuclear,” Huttunen said.

“Continuing the use of existing nuclear power plants is one issue, and decisions on lifetime extensions should be based on both safety and economics,” he went on. “Today it appears that many of the operating units can be used for a longer period of time than originally expected. Prerequisites for that are, of course, good operating and safety records, as well as continuous maintenance.”

Other experts share similar views. “Despite a reduction in the rate of global nuclear energy deployment, nuclear power continues to be a promising solution to both the increasing demand for electricity and the increasing challenge of climate change,” four European scientists argue in a recent op-ed.

“However, nuclear energy remains a capital-intensive technology, and not all countries can afford to use it,” they caution. A major reason for the high costs of nuclear new builds, they explain, is that the design and construction of new power plants involve complex technologies and require high levels of specialist expertise. Exacting safety standards must also be taken into account.

As a result, initial budgets are often overshot and deadlines are missed repeatedly. Government subsidies have helped revitalize the nuclear power industry in countries such as Russia and China, where several new nuclear plants are being constructed.

“The global sustainability of nuclear power thus relies on efforts to increase its economic viability,” the experts note. How can that economic viability boosted? By going smaller and duplicating designs, for example. “Standardized designs and downsized reactors can help,” they say. “Governments can [also] offer additional support.”