WHAT IS NET ZERO?
WHY NET ZERO NEEDS NUCLEAR
Nuclear is a proven carbon-free energy source. Canada will need to harness all clean energy technologies to achieve its climate change objectives.
Simply put, there would be no path for the world to reach their Net Zero carbon emission goals by 2050 without nuclear. To achieve this and still meet the increasing electricity demands, clean, reliable nuclear power must be included in the energy mix.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
In Canada alone, nuclear power helps avoid 80 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year – that’s equal to removing 15 million cars from the road.
The smaller land-use footprint and longevity of nuclear stations also mean that nuclear power has among the lowest lifecycle carbon footprints of any clean energy source. And it’s the only generating technology that can account for and safely contain all of its by-products.
ECONOMIC BENEFITS
Did you know that nuclear power in Canada generates more than $6 billion in revenues every year? Also, nuclear power directly or indirectly supports 60,000 jobs in Canada alone. As nuclear units get refurbished, not only are we avoiding 961 million tonnes of carbon, but approximately 36,000 more Canadian jobs are being created.
HEALTH BENEFITS
We know that nuclear power positively affects the health of our environment, but how does it affect our individual well-being? Nuclear technology is used extensively in medicine, helping to diagnose and treat many different diseases, including cancer. In Canada alone, over 1.5 million diagnostic scans and 15,000 radiation therapy treatments happen every year. It’s also used to sterilize a wide range of medical instruments and equipment such as heart valves.
KEY FACTS
Did you know:
Canada is globally recognized as a leader in nuclear materials and by-products management. Scientists and experts from around the world visit Canada to learn from our processes, built on 60-plus years of experience.
The Canadian nuclear industry helped phase out coal in Ontario, resulting in the largest greenhouse gas reduction in North America.
All of the used nuclear fuel produced in Canada since the 1960s would fit inside one hockey rink stacked up to 30 feet, or less than the height of a telephone pole.
Ontario’s electricity system accounts for about 2% of our carbon emissions.
Gram-for-gram, nuclear fuel contains one million times more energy than fossil fuels.
To generate the same amount of energy as nuclear, solar would require about 100 times and wind about 500 times more land area.