Sustainability Assessment of Nuclear Power: An Integrated Approach (SPRIng)

Completed

Nuclear Fission and Fusion(Nuclear Fission, Other nuclear fission)

Basic and strategic applied research
Applied Research and Development

SOCIAL SCIENCES (Economics and Econometrics)
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Business and Management Studies)
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Sociology)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Civil Engineering)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences)

Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Environmental dimensions)
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Policy and regulation)
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Consumer attitudes and behaviour)
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Technology acceptance)

Professor A Azapagic
Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science
University of Manchester

Standard

EPSRC

01 February 2008

31 July 2011

42 months

£2,114,143

Energy

North West

Energy : Energy

Professor A Azapagic, Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, University of Manchester

Prof K Anderson, Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester
Professor G Butler, Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester
Professor S French, Statistics, University of Warwick
Dr S. D. Howell, Manchester Business School, University of Manchester
Professor J Simpson, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton
Professor G Stoker, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton
Professor P Thomas, Sch of Engineering and Mathematical Sci, City University

Project Contact, UK Energy Research Centre
Project Contact, British Energy Generation Ltd
Project Contact, Framatome, France
Project Contact, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Project Contact, Health and Safety Executive
Project Contact, Nexia Solutions
Project Contact, Dummy Organisation
Project Contact, AMEC NNC Ltd
Project Contact, Westinghouse Electric Company UK Ltd
Project Contact, Battelle Memorial Institute, USA
Project Contact, Bexhill College
Project Contact, British Nuclear Energy Society BNES
Project Contact, Serco Group plc
Project Contact, University of Sheffield

The early years of the 21st century have seen energy policy return to the political agenda both in the UK and internationally. Growing concerns about environmental, economic and social issues associated with energy production (climate change, the depletion of hydrocarbon resources, declining public trust in science and technology and increasing energy prices) have led to a reappraisal of the wider energy scene and of individual energy technologies. The return of various nuclear power options tothe list of candidate technologies being actively considered is but one element of this change.One potential advantage of nuclear power is that it may help us to reduce CO2 emissions and therefore mitigate some of the climate change concerns, However, it is far from clear how sustainable the nuclear option is overall, compared to other generating options. Issues such as health and safety, investment risks, security, public trust and perception are also important for understanding of the fullsustainability implications of nuclear generation. Furthermore, the nuclear power industry is faced with many uncertainties, including financial, technical and regulatory. Decommissioning and high-level waste disposal are prime examples of areas where these uncertainties exist. The public attitude toward nuclear power in general ranges from ambivalent to negative; there is, however, a growing public awareness and concern about the impacts of global warming which may start to influence the changein public opinion. Therefore, any decisions about the future of nuclear power will need to take into account these and other relevant issues, taking an integrated, balanced and impartial approach to evaluating the relative environmental, economic, social and political sustainability of nuclear power.This project proposes to develop such an integrated approach and apply it to sustainability appraisals of nuclear power relative to other energy options. The main objectives of the project are:1.development of a rigorous, robust and transparent multicriteria decision-support framework for sustainability assessment of energy options;2. sustainability assessments of the nuclear option within an integrated energy system;3. engagement with and communication of the results of research to relevant stakeholders.The outputs of the project will help to inform the debate on the future of nuclear power in the UK

11/07/07