Nuclear power vital to cutting CO2 emissions: report

Roughly a quarter of global electricity could be generated by nuclear power by 2050, requiring a tripling in nuclear generating capacity but making a major contribution to reduced CO2 emissions, a report said Wednesday.

A study by the International Energy Agency, which seeks to coordinate energy policies in industrialised nations, and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development described such a target as "ambitious but achievable."

"Nuclear is already one of the main sources of low-carbon energy today," said Luis Echavarri of the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency.

"If we can address the challenges to its further expansion, nuclear has the potential to play a larger role in cutting CO2 emissions."

While no major technological breakthroughs will be needed to reach the goal, "a clear and stable policy commitment (by governments) to nuclear energy as part of an overall energy strategy is a pre-requisite," the report said.

Equally critical will be efforts to win greater public acceptance of nuclear energy programs, it added.

Nuclear power at present provides 14 percent of global electricity.