Economic risks of Jordan's nuclear program
Abstract Jordan has recently embarked on establishing a nuclear program in the hope that it would resolve its energy security problems, meet its increasing demand of electricity and promote economic growth through localization. This paper examines the economic risks and challenges associated with Jordan's nuclear program. It is based on a comparative cost analysis and interviews conducted with current and former Jordanian policy makers. Economically, nuclear power represents a high-risk option for Jordan as it involves three potentially costly scenarios of varying impact: project cancellation, unplanned outages and the declining costs of renewable technologies, particularly solar power. The paper also highlights other challenges facing Jordan in its pursuit of nuclear power such as opaque decision-making process and the need for an independent and competent nuclear regulatory body.
World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2013
Two years after the Fukushima disaster started unfolding on 11 March 2011, its impact on the global nuclear industry has become increasingly visible. Global electricity generation from nuclear plants dropped by a historic 7 percent in 2012, adding to the record drop of 4 percent in 2011. This World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2013 (WNISR) provides a global overview of the history, the current status and the trends of nuclear power programs worldwide.
Solar power : Darkest before the dawn
Solar power : Darkest before the dawn / K. Aanesen, S. Heck & D. Pinner. MacKinsey & Company, April 2012, 16 p. http://www.mckinsey.com/Client_Service/Sustainability/Latest_thinking/%7E/media/McKinsey/dotcom/client_service/Sustainability/PDFs/SRP_solar.ashx Has the solar-power industry lapsed into a classic cycle of boom and bust after a decade of unprecedented growth? It might appear so. As years of government subsidies boosted the global installed capacity of solar-photovoltaic (PV) modules...