pwr_october-2023 - 11

GLOBAL MONITOR
in lower-cost recycling processes. " Manufacturers
are also developing reversible,
recyclable thermoplastic resins that support
stronger, less expensive, and longer
wind turbine blades, which in turn would
increase energy capture and blade reliability
and recyclability while decreasing energy
and transportation costs, " ACP says.
New Specific Decommissioning Requirements.
The renewables industry,
meanwhile, is exposed to a shifting regulatory
landscape that could impose new
requirements for end-stage renewable
projects. A legal analysis issued by global
law firm Lewis Roca in July suggests 36
states have pending legislation or regulations
governing renewables decommissioning.
" Some states focus exclusively
on financial assurance requirements to
ensure that
end-of-life obligations are
funded, while others also mandate specific
regulatory standards for decommissioning
efforts, " said Dietrich Hoefner,
partner at Lewis Roca, co-lead of the
firm's Renewable Energy End-of-Life Planning
Group, and co-author of the report.
" Some states require the submission of
detailed decommissioning plans, some
provide for government monitoring and
approval of decommissioning efforts, and
some focus heavily on land reclamation. "
The law firm suggests that industry
pay attention to the evolving requirements
to avoid costly missteps. " Given
the variety of requirements (whether
statutory, regulatory, contractual or otherwise)
and the potential for overlap and
conflict between these requirements-
and uncertainty around future regulations
and costs, failure to carefully plan
for decommissioning
considerations
could result in significant unanticipated
consequences when planning for a new
project or when a project reaches the
end of its useful life, " the study notes.
-Sonal Patel is a senior associate
editor for POWER.
10 New Reactors Discussed as
Sweden Looks to Expand Nuclear
Power
Sweden has joined the growing list of
countries discussing nuclear power
as part of a strategy to produce more
electricity while also decarbonizing
power generation. Lawmakers in June
adopted new targets as part of their
energy plans, looking at fossil-free and
renewable energy to help meet power
demand pegged at about 300 TWh by
2040. The country also wants to reach
net-zero carbon emissions from the
power sector by 2045.
The strategy includes building more
nuclear reactors-as many as 10 units
have been discussed-a departure from
Sweden's previous stance, as the country
voted in 1980 to phase out nuclear power.
Later government moves enabled some
reactors to continue operating, and a new
government coalition has said nuclear
power is essential to meet decarbonization
goals while also increasing the electricity
supply. Lawmakers, in an effort to spur development
of new projects, have said the
government will help finance new nuclear
power plants to support their construction.
" Sweden and the rest of Europe will
not meet their energy transition goals
unless a substantial increase in nuclear
power is part of the diversified energy
mix, " said Seth Grae, CEO of Lightbridge,
a U.S.-based nuclear fuel technology development
company. Grae told POWER,
" Now is the time to get going on deploying
new nuclear energy capacity. "
Swedish officials also said the country
could lift its ban on mining for uranium as
part of the efforts to support nuclear power.
Sweden accounts for about 80% of the
Stay connected
& informed.
@POWERmagazine
@POWERmagazine
linkedin.com/company/powermagazine
42475
October 2023 | POWER
www.powermag.com
11
https://www.facebook.com/POWERmagazine https://twitter.com/POWERmagazine https://www.linkedin.com/company/powermagazine http://www.powermag.com
PWR_ October-2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PWR_ October-2023
