We're working with Cream Content and EDF this week.

Fleur, Carney and Marty have been working with Victoria Furness on a very exciting new project exploring clean energy with EDF.

The UK urgently requires new investment in energy infrastructure to replace old and polluting sources of electricity generation, and ensure we a have sufficient capacity in the mid-2020s as we move to using more electricity in our daily lives.  EDF's Nuclear Power Services are right at the forefront of this.

The crew went to EDF's HQ near Bristol to spend some time with the team there and learn about the exciting new developments in the company's progress and recruitment.

Nuclear energy comes from the binding energy that is stored in the centre of an atom and holds it together. To release the energy, the atom has to be split into smaller atoms. This process is called fission.  During a reaction the smaller atoms don’t need as much binding energy to hold them together, so the extra energy is released as heat and radiation.

In nuclear power stations, the heat caused by fission is used to boil water into steam. The steam is then used to turn a turbine that drives generators to make electricity.

The UK’s electricity demands are currently met by a diverse energy mix – power generated in a number of ways: nuclear; fossil fuels like coal, gas and oil; and renewables like wind, solar and hydro. But there is a huge challenge ahead.

In addition, the UK has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions to combat climate change by 2050. So as much new electricity generation capacity as possible needs to be low carbon in order to help reach this commitment.

A future energy mix with a significant amount of low carbon nuclear generation alongside gas and renewables will help deliver a secure low-carbon energy system at an affordable price, with the flexibility to incorporate future technologies.

What’s the solution?

Each source has its strengths and weaknesses. Fossil fuels, like gas and coal, are the biggest cause of CO2 emissions. So increasing electricity generation with these isn’t a long-term option. Renewable sources are low carbon but unpredictable and depend on specific climatic conditions.

Nuclear power generation depends on a natural resource that is abundant in many places around the world. It has low ongoing running costs, produces electricity reliably and is very low-carbon. But the stations require big upfront investment to build and they produce radioactive material, which has to be safely managed. EDF believes the positives far outweigh the negatives, and that nuclear power is a key part of the mix.