Why hydrogen needs nuclear: September Nuclear Intelligence Report

This month’s edition of the Nuclear Intelligence Report studies the electricity demands of Canada’s hydrogen future and how we might meet them.

We find that:

• Canada’s hydrogen targets will require a massive increase in electricity generation—436 TWh or more

• Meeting this demand with one generation source would require nine new nuclear plants, 196 SMRs, 26,000 new wind turbines, or 5,500 utility-scale solar farms

• To support a hydrogen economy, Canada should start building significant new generation this decade

• Nuclear will be a key source for hydrogen, given its reliability and modest land use requirements.

Even at this relatively model level of energy demand, the new electricity needed for a hydrogen economy is massive.

You can read the full September report here.

This is the first edition in the Centre’s new Nuclear Intelligence Report series, which explores different aspects of the role nuclear will play in a net-zero world. Keep an eye out for our next edition in October.

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Written by David Campbell, former Director at the Nuclear Innovation Institute.