Nuclear energy and renewables are the two principal options for low carbon energy generation. However, synergies among these resources have yet to be fully exploited, and the advantages of directly integrating these generation options are being explored. Nuclear-renewable hybrid energy systems consider opportunities to couple these energy generation sources to leverage the benefits of each technology to provide reliable, sustainable electricity to the grid and to provide low carbon energy to other energy use sectors. This publication describes the potential use of nuclear and renewable generation in coordinated, and in some cases tightly coupled, configurations to support various applications beyond electricity production, including desalination, hydrogen production and district heating. Where available, case studies are presented to describe relevant market conditions and trends, and considerations for implementation are outlined, including gaps that require additional technology and regulatory developments.

• SUMMARY
• 1. Introduction
  • 1.1. Background
  • 1.2. Objective
  • 1.3. Scope
  • 1.4. Structure
  • 1.5. Users
• 2. STATUS QUO IN ENERGY MARKETS: TRENDS AND EVOLUTION
  • 2.1. Low carbon energy future
  • 2.2. Nuclear energy growth trends
  • 2.3. Renewable energy growth trends
  • 2.4. Energy mix considerations
• 3. MOTIVATION FOR A NEW PARADIGM OF NUCLEAR–RENEWABLE HYBRID ENERGY SYSTEMS
  • 3.1. Key motivation for the hybrid energy system as a whole
  • 3.2. Considerations related to nuclear energy in current markets
    • 3.2.1. Flexible operation of nuclear power plants
    • 3.2.2. Competitive pressure from low cost natural gas
  • 3.3. Considerations for increasing penetration of renewables
  • 3.4. Drivers and opportunities
    • 3.4.1. Financial drivers
    • 3.4.2. Environmental drivers
    • 3.4.3. Social development drivers
    • 3.4.4. Geostrategic drivers
• 4. INTEGRATION OF NUCLEAR AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
  • 4.1. Technologies: systems, subsystems and components under consideration
    • 4.1.1. Nuclear technology classifications
  • 4.2. Nuclear–renewable hybrid energy system coupling scenarios
    • 4.2.1. Loosely coupled
    • 4.2.2. Multiple products, tightly coupled
    • 4.2.3. Multiple inputs, tightly coupled
    • 4.2.4. Multiple inputs/outputs, tightly coupled
  • 4.3. Technology readiness levels
• 5. NUCLEAR–RENEWABLE HYBRID ENERGY SYSTEM APPLICATIONS
  • 5.1. Heat
    • 5.1.1. Market
    • 5.1.2. Application
    • 5.1.3. District heating and heat for agricultural needs
  • 5.2. Hydrogen
    • 5.2.1. Applications
    • 5.2.2. Production opportunities
    • 5.2.3. Case studies
  • 5.3. Water purification
    • 5.3.1. Prominent desalination technologies
    • 5.3.2. Existing nuclear driven desalination plants
    • 5.3.3. Case studies for future desalination with nuclear–renewable hybrid energy systems
  • 5.4. Calcination
    • 5.4.1. Global market trends
    • 5.4.2. Production opportunities
  • 5.5. Chemical industry
    • 5.5.1. Applications
    • 5.5.2. Research and development directions
    • 5.5.3. Production opportunities
    • 5.5.4. Case studies
  • 5.6. Multiple resources for electricity
    • 5.6.1. Nuclear–renewable hybrid energy system with concentrated solar power
    • 5.6.2. Nuclear–renewable hybrid energy system with ocean thermal energy conversion
  • 5.7. Microgrid integrated with nuclear power
    • 5.7.1. Global market and trends
    • 5.7.2. Regional markets and trends
    • 5.7.3. Proposed microgrid configuration
• 6. Considerations for NUCLEAR–RENEWABLE HYBRID ENERGY SYSTEM Deployment
  • 6.1. Techno-economic analysis
    • 6.1.1. Framework for evaluating the intended nuclear–renewable HES implementation
    • 6.1.2. Technology readiness to implement
  • 6.2. Regulatory review
  • 6.3. Stakeholder engagement
  • 6.4. Policy and governmental considerations
  • 6.5. Owner perspectives
  • 6.6. Vendor perspectives
• 7. GAPS
  • 7.1. Overarching needs
    • 7.1.1. Human capital
    • 7.1.2. Markets and grid regulation
    • 7.1.3. System integration
    • 7.1.4. Safety implications
  • 7.2. Specific technical needs
    • 7.2.1. Retrofit of existing nuclear power plants
    • 7.2.2. Greenfield implementations
    • 7.2.3. Coupled system technology readiness level
  • 7.3. Non-technical gaps and challenges
• 8. CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES
• Annex I LEGEND OF GRAPHICS
• ABBREVIATIONS
• CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW
• STRUCTURE OF THE IAEA NUCLEAR ENERGY SERIES