The dynamic relationships between nuclear energy consumption, nuclear reactors and load capacity factor: time and...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Energy Policy
• Nuclear Engineering

Background:

• Nuclear energy presents complex environmental challenges, including waste management and accident risks.
• Evaluating the environmental impact of nuclear power is crucial for sustainable energy strategies.
• Key factors include radioactive waste, potential accidents, emissions, and resource depletion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal relationships between nuclear energy consumption, nuclear reactors, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, and load capacity factor.
• To analyze these relationships in eight major nuclear energy-consuming countries from 1993 to 2018.
• To compare causality findings using time-domain and frequency-domain panel causality tests.

Main Methods:

• Utilized time-domain panel causality tests (Emirmahmutoglu & Kose, 2011).
• Employed frequency-domain panel causality tests (Croux & Reusens, 2013).
• Analyzed data for Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, and the USA.

Main Results:

• Time-domain tests indicated no causal relationship between nuclear energy consumption, nuclear reactors, and load capacity factor.
• Frequency-domain tests revealed significant short, intermediate, and long-run causal relationships.
• A bidirectional causality was found between nuclear reactors, energy consumption, and load capacity factor in the frequency domain.

Conclusions:

• The choice of causality testing methodology significantly impacts findings on nuclear energy relationships.
• Frequency-domain analysis highlights dynamic interdependencies between nuclear energy infrastructure and operational efficiency.
• Policy recommendations include enhancing environmental quality and promoting investment in nuclear energy technologies.