A new compilation of case studies covering six countries in Europe and Central Asia highlights different potential pathways to achieving low-carbon energy targets in line with the Paris Agreement – an international treaty aiming to reduce global warming. The six case studies in the publication, ‘Energy Planning Support to Europe and Central Asia’, were developed in the framework of a broader regional technical cooperation project. Based on countries’ anticipated energy demands, the case studies evaluate multiple possible energy sources in different development scenarios. The findings revealed that the paths to net zero emissions will be varied.
For instance, for those countries with existing nuclear power programmes, the refurbishment and lifetime extensions of power plants are key considerations, as outlined in the case study of the Republic of Armenia. In the case of Georgia, improving the energy-efficiency of buildings is a priority, as homes and businesses are the primary energy consumers. While phasing out fossil fuels is a key priority in some decarbonization strategies, the resulting social impact requires consideration, such as the impact on those employed in the coal sector, as noted in the study of North Macedonia.
Together with international partners, the IAEA supports countries in the energy modelling required to develop comprehensive decarbonization plans. As part of a regional technical cooperation project, the IAEA organized a ‘Regional Meeting on Integrated Energy and Climate Planning’ that was hosted from 10-12 October 2022 by the Cyprus Institute and brought together representatives from 14 countries in Europe and Central Asia to exchange good practices and discuss their experiences in the development of integrated energy and climate plans. The meeting also served as an opportunity to discuss how to best align the IAEA’s energy planning support with existing planning processes, such as the European Union-led effort to develop integrated national energy and climate plans.
Upon request, the IAEA also supports countries in their efforts to establish nuclear power programmes through the IAEA Milestones Approach. “In Latvia, we are currently preparing our new energy and climate plan that will include nuclear power for the first time as one of the possible options to decarbonize Latvia’s energy sector by 2050,” said Agnese Lickrastina from the Ministry of Economics in Latvia. Nuclear power is just one potential component among the complex constellation of considerations in the process of integrating energy and climate planning.
“Reliable, affordable and sustainable energy is an interconnected mega-topic that countries have to solve,” said Mr Farukh Kasimov from the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan. “In Tajikistan, 98 per cent of our electricity is generated by hydropower using precipitation and meltwater from the glaciers covering our mountains. The warming of our climate means that our glaciers are melting rapidly, which is already having an impact on our electricity supply. In addition, the water is also used for other sectors and in our neighbouring countries downstream of our rivers. Our example shows that energy is interconnected with the climate, land-use and water systems, affecting industry, agriculture and economic well-being. This lends itself to integrated decision making and energy planning.”
The regional meeting also served as an opportunity to discuss international collaboration with representatives from the European Union, the International Energy Agency, the Energy Community, the International Renewable Energy Agency and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). At the UN upcoming Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheik, an IAEA pavilion will host a variety of events on its work on energy planning and the role of nuclear power as a low carbon energy source, including events on financing, promotion and partnering with renewable energy.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency