NEW YORK, (Pakistan Point News - 20th Sep, 2023) Net Zero Nuclear, the initiative calling for collaboration among government, industry leaders and civil society to triple global nuclear capacity to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, today announced GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy as its first corporate partner.
GE Hitachi joins the initiative at the Diamond Partner level, underscoring the growing momentum for the effort, which was co-launched by World Nuclear Association (WNA) and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), at the World Nuclear Symposium in London earlier this month.
The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero joined as the first government partner at this month’s launch event.
In the lead up to COP28, which will be hosted by the UAE in Dubai later this year, Net Zero Nuclear aims to bring together political leaders and industry to engage in data-driven, actionable, solutions-focused dialogue to enable the rapid expansion of the global nuclear fleet and the acceleration of research and development into emerging nuclear technologies.
The initiative will work to ensure nuclear energy’s potential is fully realised in facilitating the decarbonisation of global energy systems, by promoting the value of nuclear energy and removing barriers to its growth.
Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, which leads the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme and its flagship Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, said, “With nuclear energy, we already have a vital tool in our shared work to reach net zero and prevent the most catastrophic effects of climate change. The announcement of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy as Net Zero Nuclear’s first corporate partner is welcome news, bringing to the effort one of the nuclear industry’s most capable leaders and building on our momentum towards COP28. To triple global nuclear capacity by 2050 and reach Net Zero we will require unprecedented collaboration among government, industry leaders, and civil society. We are delighted that GE Hitachi shares Net Zero Nuclear’s vision and look forward to working closely with them towards our platform objectives.”
GE Hitachi’s collaboration with Net Zero Nuclear helps advance the goals of the U.S.-UAE Partnership for Advancing Clean Energy (PACE) initiative and provides a platform for deepening cooperation on the deployment of innovative carbon-free energy generation solutions.
Jay Wileman, President and CEO of GE Hitachi, stated, “We are honoured to join Net Zero Nuclear and help elevate the role of nuclear in solving the trilemma of delivering more sustainable, reliable and affordable electricity. Nuclear power is critical to decarbonising the energy sector and achieving the net zero carbon emission goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. We are investing in advanced nuclear technologies like the BWRX-300 small modular reactor and Natrium to provide carbon-free, flexible, dispatchable electricity while also helping nations meet energy security goals. We appreciate the leadership of the U.S.-UAE Partnership for Advancing Clean Energy (PACE) initiative and the collaboration toward a swift and smooth energy transition.”
Dr. Sama Bilbao y León, Director-General of World Nuclear Association, added, “The nuclear industry will need to work together to deliver the Net Zero Nuclear goal of a tripling of global nuclear capacity by 2050. I am delighted that GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy is the first corporate partner of Net Zero Nuclear, and I am sure that many other leading companies will soon join our initiative.”
In remarks yesterday to open the Atlantic Council’s Nuclear Energy Policy Summit 2023, United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John F. Kerry praised both the launch of Net Zero Nuclear and GE Hitachi’s early participation in the effort, saying, “I’m very pleased to see the launch of Net Zero Nuclear, a pioneering platform for countries and companies that want to try to accelerate the clean energy transition, and I’m proud to see GE joining from the start of all of this.”
