System level assessment of nuclear heat for district heating in Sweden

The motivation behind this project stems from the need to address the heat waste from nuclear power plants in Sweden. With approximately 90 TWh of heat currently being wasted, an opportunity exists to repurpose this energy for district heating. This initiative aligns with the evolving energy landscape, where traditional biomass and waste resources are potentially becoming increasingly limited, new opportunities to utilize waste heat from hydrogen and fuel production, more competitive heat storage solutions, large-scale heat pumps etc.

The project will employ a system-level assessment to explore the integration of nuclear heat into district heating systems. This involves leveraging advanced Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technologies and conducting techno-economic analyses with local and national perspectives. The project will benefit from contributions from research institutes, universities, and a reference group comprising energy companies, which will provide industry insights and support the evaluation of potential impacts on local and national energy systems, including interactions with existing and new biomass and waste heat sources, novel storage solutions, technical developments within the district heating and cooling grids etc.

Expected results from this project include a deeper understanding of how, and under what conditions, nuclear heat can be integrated into Sweden's district heating networks. The findings will provide insights for policymakers, energy companies, and the nuclear industry, supporting long-term investment decisions and policy developments.