MIPIM 2022 (21 MB)

„From 2023, nuclear
and gas-fired power
plants will be considered
sustainable under
certain conditions.“
How
sustainable is
nuclear energy?
N
uclear energy remains taboo for
many investors. The question,
however, is: for how much longer?
The controversial EU taxonomy
regulation has met with little positive response,
even among experts and representatives of financial
service providers. The green label is
unlikely to lead to any major change for nuclear
power - at least in Austria. The rejection of nuclear
power is strongly anchored, so a departure
from the previous line would mean a „loss of
credibility“ for sustainable funds.
With the EU Commission‘s „EU Taxonomy“
regulation, investments in nuclear power and
natural gas in the European Union are to be
considered climate-friendly or sustainable
in the future, subject to certain conditions.
The law has caused a storm of indignation in
many European countries, and actions for annulment
at the European Court of Justice (ECJ)
have been announced.
carbon emissions and a high availability of
80 to 90 percent, nuclear energy could make
a decisive contribution to decarbonizing the
energy system.
In addition to the climate factor, which the
French government emphasizes as crucial,
nuclear power is expected to bring more independence
- a perfectly understandable idea given
Europe‘s dependence on gas from Russia.
Another thought: International, institutional
investors will hardly want to accept that their
buildings heated and/or lit with nuclear power
would lose considerable value in one fell
swoop.
However, this should not prevent the non-nuclear
real estate world from consistently relying
on alternative energy sources.
But: in the EU, 14 of the 28 states operate nuclear
power plants. To achieve climate neutrality
by 2050, as many as six new nuclear power
plants should be built in France, according to
an announcement by President Emmanuel
Macron.
France currently has 56 nuclear power plants
in operation, supplying nearly 70 percent of its
electricity. Two-thirds of France‘s total energy
still comes from fossil fuels such as oil and gas.
Everything can be twisted and turned
Proponents‘ main arguments: nuclear energy
offers similar low-carbon characteristics to renewable
technologies. With no directly caused
Michael Neubauer
Editor
Fotos: Adobe Stock
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