Bucharest, Romania
Pullman Bucharest World Trade Center
1 October, 9:00-17:00
Second ECOSENS Scientific Event – part 2
A novel approach to assess and establish the socio-economic role of nuclear energy at country level
Introduction
One of the objectives of the ECOSENS project is to introduce a groundbreaking economic model for assessing nuclear energy, utilizing the System of Provision (SoP) framework. This new model aims to address the significant shortcomings of existing economic models by offering a comprehensive suite of indicators that accommodate to a diverse range of stakeholders, including investors (e.g., equity holders), consumers, governments, and suppliers.The second ECOSENS scientific event will explore innovative holistic approaches such as the System of Provision (SoP), socio-economic indicators like the Social Discount Rate (SDR), and sustainable principles like the Circular Economy (CE) within the empirical context of nuclear technologies. It is planned to present the work performed until now in the frame of Work Package 3 and to exchange on different options and frameworks. The event will feature opportunities for discussion and active engagement, ensuring that all participants can contribute to and benefit from the discourse. It will be also available online for interested to follow the presentations (link will be sent to registered).
Preliminary Agenda
| Estimated Time | Topic | Description |
| 9:00-9:30 | Introduction to ECOSENS project and activities devoted to economic aspects in nuclear activities | Aim, objectives, tasks and deliverables Why are the SoP approach, SDR indicator and CE concept so important, especially in nuclear energy sector? |
| 9:30-9:50 | A systematic literature review on the system of Provisions (SoP) approach | Research method Main results SoP debate and its strengths |
| 9:50-10:20 | Application of the SoP approach to the French nuclear-dependent system | Major nuclear programs Adoption of the SoP approach A novel framework for assessing the value of nuclear programs |
| 10:20 – 11:00 | A novel model based on the SoP approach | How we derived the model Outputs from the workshop Presentation of the cases |
| 11:00-11:15 | Break | / |
| 11:15-12:45 | Group work and discussion | Playing with the model – Group work (choose a country and use the model) Feedback from the groups about the model Group discussion |
| 12:45-13:45 | Lunch Break | / |
| 13:45-14:15 | A systematic literature review on the Social Discount Rate (SDR) | Main methods to calculate the SDR Advantages and Disadvantages SDR for nuclear |
| 14:15-14:45 | Social acceptance of Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) near old plants | Unwanted infrastructure Nuclear in Italy Main results |
| 14:45 – 15:30 | Group discussion | Group discussion about how these results should be interpreted |
| 15:30 – 15:50 | Break | |
| 15:50-16:20 | Circular Economy (CE) megaprojects: life extension of NPP | What is Circular Economy (CE) CE strategies Life extension as a CE project Outlook and market analysis Challenges and barriers |
| 16:20 – 17:00 | Group discussion | Group discussion about our work and about circular economy in the nuclear sector – Current practices and future prospects |
| 17:00 – 17:10 | Closing | / |
The ECOSENS Project – Economic and Social Considerations for the Future of Nuclear Energy in Society
ECOSENS is a EURATOM funded project. It aims to create a neutral space where specialists in social sciences and humanities, and in nuclear energy research and policy meet, exchange views and collaborate with civil society and other relevant stakeholders in order to:
- Provide a societal perspective on the development and use of existing and new nuclear technologies, in the context of major societal challenges: climate crisis, sustainable development and energy security, by opening up the technoscientific issues to the social, political, cultural and ethical context, in order to guide policies in the nuclear field.
- Provide an assessment of nuclear energy sustainability considering the entire life cycle of the current nuclear technologies, possible evolutions of the energy markets and nuclear technologies in the transition toward climate neutrality, and the societal perspective in order to reveal and evaluate the possible roles of nuclear power in the future;
- Provide a radically new economic model, based on the System of Provision, for the assessment of nuclear energy, overcoming the key weaknesses of existing economic models, providing a suite of indicators relevant not just for the investors (e.g. equity holders) but for a broad variety of stakeholders (e.g. consumers, governments, suppliers).
The ECOSENS project partners:
- Regia Autonoma Tehnologii Pentru Energia Nucleara (RATEN) – Romania – Project Coordinator
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN) – Belgium
- Institute of Sociology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (ISAS Cr) – Czech Republic
- Institut Symlog (Symlog) – France
- Politecnico Di Milano (Polimi) – Italy
- Elektroinstitut Milan Vidmar (EIMV) – Slovenia
- Centro De Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales Y Tecnologicas (CIEMAT) – Spain
- MERIENCE Scp – Spain
- Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen) – Belgium
- Univerzita Mateja Bela V Banskej Bystrici (UMB) – Slovakia
- Universita Degli Studi Di Cassino E Del Lazio Meridionale (UNICAS) – Italy
- The University of Exeter (UNEXE) – UK