Nuclear forum to discuss Australia's energy future

As part of Engineers Australia’s Convention 2014, currently being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, industry leaders from across Australia are meeting today to discuss the future of nuclear energy in Australia.

The Nuclear Energy Forum comes off the back of the federal government’s Energy Green Paper. As noted by forum speaker Tony Irwin, the chair of Engineers Australia’s Nuclear Energy Panel, “A key theme of the Energy Green Paper is securing reliable and affordable energy in a technology-neutral way that could also help to lower emissions. This clearly puts nuclear power on the table with other low-emissions options.”

Irwin said it is time to look at nuclear energy “free of misconceptions based on out-of-date knowledge and technologies”, stating, “The improvements in the nuclear-energy sector over the past few decades have been phenomenal, with newer model reactors being more economically competitive and dramatically safer. In particular, small modular reactors, with their natural safety based on passive safety systems using gravity, natural circulation and pressurised tanks, represent a game-changer that is particularly suitable for Australian conditions.”

He added, “Wind and solar energy are subject to intermittent supply issues. Nuclear power offers the option of low carbon emissions and a constant, reliable supply.”

The forum is being held from 1.30pm-5.30 pm, with other speakers including Adi Paterson, the CEO of ANSTO; Ian Hore-Lacy, World Nuclear Association; and Ben Heard, ThinkClimate Consulting. Convention 2014 will run until 28 November.