Publications related to Nuclear energy policy

Innovative thermophysical characterization of an ATF composite cladding: the case of silicon carbide

Nuclear power is a powerful technology that plays an important role in the fight against climate change, and research is continuously engaged in studies that could further improve its safety. After the Fukushima accident, Accident Tolerant Fuels research h ...

EPFL2024

Dynamical Control of Nuclear Isomer Depletion via Electron Vortex Beams

Fabrizio Carbone, Simone Gargiulo

Some nuclear isomers are known to store a large amount of energy over long periods of time, with a very high energy-to-mass ratio. Here, we describe a protocol to achieve the external control of the isomeric nuclear decay by using electron vortex beams who ...

AMER PHYSICAL SOC2022

Resonances on GaN-on-Si Epitaxies: A Source of Output Capacitance Losses in Power HEMTs

Elison de Nazareth Matioli, Armin Jafari, Minghua Zhu, Riyaz Mohammed Abdul Khadar, Mohammad Samizadeh Nikooytabalvandani

GaN-on-Si high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) exhibit excellent properties for efficient power conversion. Nevertheless, a considerable energy loss associated with the charging and discharging of the output capacitance (COSS) in these transistors se ...

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers2021

SCCER JA-RED - Report on the performance of the implemented solutions with guidelines for subsequent implementation - D1.2.4

Luc Girardin, Luise Middelhauve

The foreseen important increase of the penetration of distributed renewable energies technologies into the electricity distribution grid is expected to lead to some major challenges. On the one hand, a large and synchronous production could lead in certain ...

2021

The complex winds of the Alps: an unseen asset for the energy transition

Jérôme François Sylvain Dujardin

Wind energy has played a major role in the development of our society since 5000 BC when the first sail boats traveled the Nile River. Wind technology continued to advance with the invention of wind-powered pumps and mills in China and the Middle East as e ...

EPFL2021

Belgian Energy Transition: What Are the Options?

François Maréchal

Different scenarios at different scales must be studied to help define long term policies to decarbonate our societies. In this work, we analyse the Belgian energy system in 2035 for different carbon emission targets, and accounting for electricity, heat, ...

2020

The Effect of European Integration on Swiss Energy Policy and Governance

Matthias Finger, Paul Adrianus Van Baal

The unique “Swiss way” of association with the European Union (EU) has received increasing attention in light of recent events such as Brexit as it is based on sectoral agreements without an overarching institutional framework. As such, Europeanization of ...

2019

Policy analysis during socio-technical energy transitions: three essays on the Swiss electricity sector

Paul Adrianus Van Baal

Global energy systems are changing rapidly. This energy transition complicates the use of traditional policy analysis methods. However, proper policy analysis and design is essential in managing the transition. This thesis takes an interdisciplinary approa ...

EPFL2019

Charting the course: A possible route to a fully renewable Swiss power system

Michael Lehning, Pedro Filipe De Almeida Manso, Jérôme François Sylvain Dujardin, Albertus Christiaan Kruyt, Annelen Kahl, Stuart John Bartlett

The prospect of a renewable transition seems plausible for many countries, but can be shrouded in risks, costs and challenges. This paper illuminates a path for such a transition with a numerical investigation, aimed at resolving the power dynamics of a co ...

2018

Not if, but when? Simulating the impact of timing the nuclear phase-out in Switzerland

Matthias Finger, Reinier Verhoog, Paul Adrianus Van Baal

Swiss electricity companies are faced with uncertainty with regards to the future operation of nuclear power plants in the country. After Fukushima in 2011, the government decided on a gradual phase-out, but only provided a tentative planning. Hence, no ne ...

2017

Characterization of hydraulic behavior of orifices in conduits

Nicolas Jean François Pascal Ghislain Adam

High-head power plants are the main pillar of Swiss peak electricity production. With the 2050 Energy Strategy approved by Swiss voters, the annual production of hydroelectricity should increase by 4%, while 90% of the technically feasible potential is alr ...

EPFL2017

Reliable Averages and Risky Extremes – Analysis of spatiotemporal variability in solar irradiance and persistent cloud cover patterns over Switzerland

Michael Lehning, Annelen Kahl, Juliette Ferial Blanchet, Albertus Christiaan Kruyt

With the perspective of Switzerland’s phase-out from nuclear energy, solar energy potential may take an important role for the country’s future in renewable energy. Based on 12 years of satellite-derived, spatially distributed data of daily average cloud f ...

Elsevier2016

Metal-organic framework with optimally selective xenon adsorption and separation

Berend Smit, Cory Matthew Simon, Jian Liu

Nuclear energy is among the most viable alternatives to our current fossil fuel-based energy economy. The mass deployment of nuclear energy as a low-emissions source requires the reprocessing of used nuclear fuel to recover fissile materials and mitigate r ...

Nature Publishing Group2016

Net primary energy balance of a solar-driven photoelectrochemical water-splitting device

Sophia Haussener

A fundamental requirement for a renewable energy generation technology is that it should produce more energy during its lifetime than is required to manufacture it. In this study we evaluate the primary energy requirements of a prospective renewable energy ...

Royal Society of Chemistry2013

Thermo-Economic Optimization of a Tower-Trough Combination Thermal Solar Power Plant

Germain Augsburger, Jorge López Moreno

Current energetic context involving skyrocketing oil prices, population growing rates without precedents and increasing concerns about nuclear energy and climate change issues requires rapid, economically feasible and reliable progress in the field of rene ...

2011

Life Cycle Assessment of Soybean-Based Biodiesel in Argentina for Export

Edgard Gnansounou, Arnaud Dauriat, Luis Alberto Panichelli

Background, aim and scope. Regional specificities are a key factor when analyzing the environmental impact of a biofuel pathway through a life cycle assessment (LCA). Due to different energy mixes, transport distances, agricultural practices and land use c ...

2009

Management of actinide waste inventories in nuclear phase-out scenarios

Rakesh Chawla, Marco Cometto

The improvement of the "radiological cleanliness" of nuclear energy is a primary goal in the development of advanced reactors and fuel cycles. The multiple recycling of actinides in advanced nuclear systems with fast neutron spectra represents a key option ...

Elsevier Ltd2008

Analysis of plasma dynamic response to modulated electron cyclotron heating in TCV tokamak

Ilya Pavlov

The need of durable, economically acceptable and safe energy sources continues to stimulate studies in a field of thermonuclear fusion. The most successful solution for controlled magnetic fusion is the tokamak. The improvement of tokamak performance depen ...

EPFL2008