This article is a contribution to the NNWI Conference 2026: Powering Industrial Decarbonisation.
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Energy security and supply resilience have returned to the centre of global policy and energy debates. Ongoing geopolitical tensions have underscored a critical challenge: ensuring reliable, secure energy for sectors where disruption carries immediate economic and societal consequences.
Industry accounts for nearly 40% of global final energy demand, making it the largest energy-consuming sector. Decarbonising this demand—particularly in hard-to-abate industries such as chemicals, refining, and heavy manufacturing—remains a complex challenge and an economic and social imperative. Without viable low-carbon alternatives, these sectors risk locking in carbon-intensive pathways.
Nuclear energy offers a compelling solution. It provides clean, dispatchable 24/7 power alongside high-temperature industrial heat, with the added advantage of fuel security—reactors typically refuel only every 18–24 months.
Its role is also evolving beyond electricity generation. In China, projects such as the Haiyang nuclear power plant demonstrate cogeneration at scale, supplying carbon-free district heating, while developments like Xuwei aim to deliver industrial steam directly to petrochemical facilities.
The opportunity extends further. Nuclear energy can support synthetic fuel production—including hydrogen and e-fuels—while providing firm, carbon-free power for energy-intensive digital infrastructure. As demand from AI and data centres grows, co-location with nuclear generation offers a pathway to ensure both reliability and grid stability.
Together, these applications position nuclear not simply as a power source, but as a flexible backbone for decarbonising both physical industry and the digital economy.
With around 440 reactors operating globally and further capacity under construction, the technology base is well established. What is missing is not engineering capability but enabling policy and market frameworks. The World Nuclear Association projects that capacity could reach around 1,200 GW by 2050, but realising this ambition depends on decisions taken today.
Unlocking this potential requires repositioning nuclear as multi-vector infrastructure—capable of delivering electricity, heat, and clean fuels within integrated energy systems. This has clear implications:
- policy frameworks must extend beyond electricity to heat and industrial decarbonisation
- financing models must reflect diversified revenue streams
- planning and partnerships must align nuclear deployment with industrial and digital demand
Decisions taken in this decade will determine whether nuclear can scale beyond electricity to play a central role in a resilient, low-carbon energy system.
