Closer to home, Denmark is debating lifting its four-decade ban on nuclear power. This decision is another key step in a comprehensive strategy to ensure the country’s energy security. The initiative is being led by Denmark’s ambitious Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Lars Aagaard. As we discussed last month, he focuses on the urgent need for a clean eye assessment of today’s nuclear power technologies.
The small and nuclear government’s goal is to determine exactly how new nuclear technologies could benefit Denmark, with an estimate due by 2026. This analysis comes from these shifting realities in energy generation. While renewable sources will play a key role, they will not be enough by themselves to power our growing future energy needs. Aagaard pointed out the limitations of relying solely on solar and wind power, stating, “We all know that of course we can’t have an electricity system based on solar and wind alone. There has to be something else to support it.”
The Danish love-hate relationship with nuclear energy goes back to its roots. The same Danes who rejoiced when the Barseback 2 nuclear reactor was closed in 2005. Situated just across the Baltic in Sweden, this decision represented a sea change in attitudes toward nuclear dependence. Today’s government in Sweden has gone pro-nuclear and wants to build even more nuclear power. This shift in Sweden’s stance has already led Denmark to re-evaluate its own aggressive approach.
During his visit, Aagaard was realistic about the challenges inherent in reintroducing nuclear energy into Denmark’s energy landscape. “Denmark has no recent experience with nuclear power, which is why it is important that we start analysing the potential,” he said. Anderson raised key questions around the safety of nuclear technology and long-term waste disposal. He argued that we must plan deeply to solve these issues. “Can we say with confidence that this technology is safe? Where do we dispose of the nuclear waste? Are our authorities prepared if something goes wrong? And so on and so forth. We don’t have that knowledge, but we need it,” Aagaard noted.
We’re glad to see the Danish government continuing full steam ahead with its evaluation. Stakeholders are closely watching the outcome of Denmark’s and Sweden’s studies into nuclear power. If adopted, the results may drastically impact energy policy across the Western Isles and reframe the landscape of energy production in Denmark for years to come.