By 2050, Canada, like many industrialized countries, has vowed to reduce its net carbon emissions to zero.
FREMONT, CA: Canada, like many industrialized nations, has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. But what distinguishes Canada is its approach to achieving this objective. Like others, it has promoted renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. But it also intends to add a potent new source—small modular reactors (SMRs).
SMRs can produce carbon-free electricity while overcoming some of the nuclear industry's greatest obstacles, such as cost and lengthy building timeframes.
They can play a critical role in assisting Canada's decarbonization efforts in numerous significant ways. SMRs can produce up to 300 megawatts of carbon-free power when the wind stops blowing, or the sun stops shining, which can occur for extended periods during Canada's long winters, characterized by a formidable combination of snow and cold and short days. However, they can also help supply carbon-free electricity generation in remote areas, especially in northern regions where many rely on diesel generators.
Noting Canada's extensive expertise with nuclear energy—it was the second nation in the world to generate nuclear electricity. SMRs represent Canada's next great opportunity.
SMRs might be a game-changer for Canada's economy, which already possesses some of the world's greatest uranium reserves. Being an early adopter of the SMR technology might enable Canada to become a global leader in this technology and launch an entirely new industry that could generate thousands of employment in manufacturing, construction, and plant operations. The United States, Poland, and Estonia have already indicated an interest in technology. With the grave threat posed by climate change, Canada is investing in the entire portfolio of energy technologies required to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Nuclear energy contributes to the achievement of these aims. The expansion of safer nuclear technologies—in Canada and around the globe—is also viewed by experts as having enormous growth potential.
The Ontario government and its utility, Ontario Power Generation (OPG), are selecting the business that will construct the first SMR in the world in Ontario to bring it online by 2028.
