This paper analyzes outcomes for a 3000 MWt High Temperature Gas Reacton nuclear power plant, given price and cost assumptions, and determined what level of hydrogen and electricity production would optimize the plant economically and environmentally (carbon reduction). The tradeoff between producing hydrogen through steam methane reformation and producing electricity is so disproportionate, that advanced reactors will likely be used only as peaking plants for electricity unless policymakers intervene with incentives to change the mix of electricity and hydrogen. The magnitude of the increase in electric prices or decrease in hydrogen prices required to allow electricity production indicate that substantial error in cost estimates would be required to change our analysis.
Revised: July 28, 2009 |
Published: September 4, 2003
Citation
Weimar M.R., T.W. Wood, B.A. Reichmuth, and W.L. Johnson. 2003.Optimizing a High-Temperature Hydrogen Co-generation Reactor for Both Economic and Environmental Performance. In Global 2003: Atoms for Prosperity: Updating Eisenhowers Global Vision for Nuclear Energy, November 16-20, 2003, New Orleans, LA, United States, 1499-1508. La Grange Park, Illinois:American Nuclear Society.PNNL-SA-39404.