Energy
The Nuclear Conundrum [Chart]
![The Nuclear Conundrum [Chart]](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/nuclear-reactor-age-chart.jpg)
The Nuclear Conundrum [Chart]
Median age of all operating nuclear reactors is 28.8 years and counting.
The Chart of the Week is a weekly Visual Capitalist feature on Fridays.
The nuclear sector today certainly has its immediate challenges. Costs had already been a long problem, but the incident at Fukushima complicated matters even further. The industry and regulators were forced to take a second look at its safety practices and plant designs, creating uncertainty for the sector. As of today, 2006 still remains a peak for global nuclear power generation in terms of total output, and it has steadily declined since then.
There is also another creeping issue for the industry that is raising eyebrows. According to The World Nuclear Report, there are 391 nuclear reactors in operation throughout the world. However, the median age of these reactors is now 28.8 years, due to the majority of power plants being built between 1970 and 1985.
The design specifications for most nuclear reactors envision an operating lifespan of 30 to 40 years. In the U.S. specifically, nuclear utilities are initially licensed for 40 years. Near the end of that initial timeframe, they can apply for an additional 20 years.
While there are many experts who believe that older reactors are not a problem, it is hard to imagine many families feeling safe living next to aging nuclear reactors. Furthermore, with recent evens, even more questions have surfaced about the wisdom of keeping aging reactors plugged into the grid. The Fukushima Daiichi units (1 to 4) were first commissioned between 1971 and 1974, and the license for the first unit had been extended for another 10 years in February 2011. This was just a month before the disaster took place.
Right now, most operators are doing what they can to extend the life of their reactors. However, at some point it won’t be enough.
This brings us to a challenging fork in the road: will we move forward with a fleet of aging reactors, or will we bite the bullet to build new ones? If we decommission them without replacement, how will that power supply be replaced?
Energy
Mapped: Renewable Energy and Battery Installations in the U.S. in 2023
This graphic describes new U.S. renewable energy installations by state along with nameplate capacity, planned to come online in 2023.
Renewable and Battery Installations in the U.S. in 2023
This was originally posted on Elements. Sign up to the free mailing list to get beautiful visualizations on real assets and resource megatrends each week.
Renewable energy, in particular solar power, is set to shine in 2023. This year, the U.S. plans to get over 80% of its new energy installations from sources like battery, solar, and wind.
The above map uses data from EIA to highlight planned U.S. renewable energy and battery storage installations by state for 2023.
Texas and California Leading in Renewable Energy
Nearly every state in the U.S. has plans to produce new clean energy in 2023, but it’s not a surprise to see the two most populous states in the lead of the pack.
Even though the majority of its power comes from natural gas, Texas currently leads the U.S. in planned renewable energy installations. The state also has plans to power nearly 900,000 homes using new wind energy.
California is second, which could be partially attributable to the passing of Title 24, an energy code that makes it compulsory for new buildings to have the equipment necessary to allow the easy installation of solar panels, battery storage, and EV charging.
New solar power in the U.S. isn’t just coming from places like Texas and California. In 2023, Ohio will add 1,917 MW of new nameplate solar capacity, with Nevada and Colorado not far behind.
| Top 10 States | Battery (MW) | Solar (MW) | Wind (MW) | Total (MW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,981 | 6,462 | 1,941 | 10,385 |
| California | 4,555 | 4,293 | 123 | 8,970 |
| Nevada | 678 | 1,596 | 0 | 2,274 |
| Ohio | 12 | 1,917 | 5 | 1,934 |
| Colorado | 230 | 1,187 | 200 | 1,617 |
| New York | 58 | 509 | 559 | 1,125 |
| Wisconsin | 4 | 939 | 92 | 1,034 |
| Florida | 3 | 978 | 0 | 980 |
| Kansas | 0 | 0 | 843 | 843 |
| Illinois | 0 | 363 | 477 | 840 |
The state of New York is also looking to become one of the nation’s leading renewable energy providers. The New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) is making real strides towards this objective with 11% of the nation’s new wind power projects expected to come online in 2023.
According to the data, New Hampshire is the only state in the U.S. that has no new utility-scale renewable energy installations planned for 2023. However, the state does have plans for a massive hydroelectric plant that should come online in 2024.
Decarbonizing Energy
Renewable energy is considered essential to reduce global warming and CO2 emissions.
In line with the efforts by each state to build new renewable installations, the Biden administration has set a goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and a net zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.
The EIA forecasts the share of U.S. electricity generation from renewable sources rising from 22% in 2022 to 23% in 2023 and to 26% in 2024.
-
Wealth2 weeks agoRanked: The World’s Top 50 Endowment Funds
-
Markets4 weeks agoVisualized: Real Interest Rates by Country
-
Markets2 weeks agoCharting the Rise of America’s Debt Ceiling
-
Money4 weeks agoComparing the Speed of Interest Rate Hikes (1988-2023)
-
Urbanization2 weeks agoRanked: The Cities with the Most Skyscrapers in 2023
-
War4 weeks agoMap Explainer: Sudan
-
Urbanization2 weeks agoRanked: The World’s Biggest Steel Producers, by Country
-
Travel4 weeks agoVisualized: The World’s Busiest Airports, by Passenger Count