Innovations in renewable energy have never been so prevalent, with global decarbonization goals pushing for developments in ways to generate power that have no harmful or long-lasting environmental impacts. IDTechEx's portfolio of Energy & Decarbonization Research Reports and Subscriptions covers the nuclear energy sector, alongside photovoltaics and other technologies, as part of the next-generation of clean energy.
Movements within the nuclear energy space
Nuclear small modular reactors (SMRs) are an up-and-coming means of generating low carbon power, that are ideal for deployment at scale. Large nuclear reactors typically have net capacities over 1GWe while SMRs generate less than 300MWe, though promise to be more economically scalable, and able to accommodate more advanced designs. SMRs are also proposed to be safer and more easily transported with lower costs involved. Interest in nuclear energy is increasing as a result of multiple factors, including energy security when domestic supply chains are utilized, decarbonization goals, and technology innovations.
Due to the relatively small size of the SMR market compared to where it could be to be considered a reliable source of renewable energy, government support is imperative to the development of SMRs, with China and Russia currently leading in SMR commercial deployment as a result of funding and regulation, as well as a strong domestic supply chain.
Despite their innovative and sustainably on-trend means of generating power, the demand for data centers is too great for SMRs to solve imminently, as using SMRs to power them will require a long-term plan, according to IDTechEx's report, "Nuclear Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) Market 2026-2046: Technologies, Players, Benchmarking, Foreca...". Despite their potentially higher operating expenditure than traditional nuclear, IDTechEx claim that the lower capital costs of SMRs have them considered as a real solution to meeting power demand, however, other renewable energy technologies are also competing.
Harnessing the sun's energy
While photovoltaic technologies have been established for a long time as a means of converting the sun's light energy into electricity, new developments are always on the horizon. Perovskites are a group of materials with specific structures, with some able to provide electronic and optical properties to photovoltaic applications to enhance abilities. The possibility for perovskite to be applied as a thin layer also makes it straightforward to apply using thin film deposition methods, as well as increasing the feasibility of scalability and automation. From a performance perspective, perovskite photovoltaics can offer special features, outlined within IDTechEx's report, "Perovskite Photovoltaics 2027-2037: Technologies, Markets, and Trends", though may face some issues when exposed to moisture or UV radiation. The report states that perovskite can be used alongside silicon to enhance performance and achieve a higher power conversion efficiency.
Some of the core advantages of perovskite listed in IDTechEx's report include strong light absorption for strong performance, high optoelectronic quality, low non-radiative recombination potential, bandgap tunability, high open-circuit voltage, and high efficiency potential. Additionally, from a manufacturing perspective, perovskites can be processed at lower temperatures than associated with wafer-based silicon, meaning they can be cheaper to produce. They are also compatible with a number of deposition techniques, require less overall active materials for greater efficiency, and as a result, can be more easily scalable.
For more information on upcoming clean energy technologies, visit IDTechEx's portfolio of Energy & Decarbonization Research Reports and Subscriptions for the latest research and developments across a number of technologies.
