The United States is among the countries highest in per capita use of electricity and total CO2 (greenhouse gas) emissions. Electricity generation produces about 40% of our CO2 emissions, transportation produces 33% and industrial use of fossil fuels accounts for 16%. Nuclear power plants emit zero CO2, and represent over 70% of U.S. carbon-free electricity generation. If we are to reduce emissions markedly as a nation, nuclear energy must play a significant role.

Therefore, in the Office of Nuclear Energy, our primary goals are:

Extend the useful life of existing nuclear power plants. This is the objective of our Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program.

Enable new plants to be built. This is the objective of our Nuclear Plant 2010 (NP2010) Program.

Reduce the carbon footprint of transportation and industry. Industry uses process heat generated by fossil fuels to make a wide range of materials such as steel and glass. The heat generated by nuclear energy can be harnessed for process heat, thus reducing or eliminating the need to burn fossil fuels for this purpose. Developing this capability is one objective of our Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) initiative, which is part of our Generation IV program. Generation IV is a term applied to reactors of the future.

Develop a sustainable fuel cycle. While nuclear energy generates far smaller volumes of waste compared to fossil fuels, the radiotoxicity of that waste is a serious concern. Our Fuel Cycle Research and Development Program is developing ways to make used fuel less radiotoxic, recycle it, and generally create widely acceptable solutions to the challenges of nuclear waste.

Prevent proliferation. Nuclear materials must not fall into the hands of those who would use them for nuclear weapons. Developing techniques and materials to prevent proliferation are objectives of our Fuel Cycle Research and Development program.