Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
Environment
Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University

Small modular reactors have promise. But we found they’re unlikely to help Australia hit net zero by 2050

Golden Sikorka/Shutterstock

Australia’s clean energy transition is already underway, driven by solar, wind, batteries and new transmission lines.

But what about nuclear? Opposition leader Peter Dutton last month committed to building nuclear reactors on the site of retired coal plants – triggering intense debate over whether this older low-carbon power source is viable in Australia due to cost and long timeframes. Dutton proposed building a mix of traditional large nuclear plants alongside small modular reactors (SMRs).

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.