Weighing the US case for nuclear energy exports

This paper was published by the Hinrich Foundation. Read the full paper on their website. 

The opportunity

Limited access to the Strait of Hormuz has heightened energy security concerns around the world. Data centers and artificial intelligence are driving demand worldwide for secure means of powering the future economic development of sovereign nations. Meanwhile, rising sea levels underscore the impact that fossil fuels have had on climate change. With this context, many in the international community are searching for the secure and sustainable development of energy.

Nuclear energy currently provides about 10% of global electricity, but the future demand is clearly growing, with more than 30 countries committed to tripling its use by 2050. These countries are considering nuclear energy as a reliable source of clean and firm — meaning guaranteed to be available to the grid regardless of weather conditions, time of day, or other blackout risks — electricity that can mix with other types of power sources.

Southeast Asia, in particular, has begun to chart a path toward nuclear energy, motivated in part by projections that the region’s total energy demand could triple by 2050. Most Southeast Asian countries have relied on imported fossil fuels to date, but such a rapid increase in electricity demand will require a continuous and higher density supplement.

The region is ripe for nuclear energy, but it will need to work closely with international partners to get a commercial program off the ground.