In just 2023 China added 216 GW of solar capacity which directly offset ~500 TWh of coal power per year and absolutely dwarfing the rate not just China but the entire world is bring Nuclear power plants online per year.
Wind and solar have significantly reduced carbon emissions across most western countries. Nuclear doesn’t scale well due to capacity factor falling with daily and seasonal changes in demand. France sitting next to non nuclear Germany can have lots of nuclear but that’s little different that some US states having more nuclear while connected to other states with less. What matters is the overall grid not arbitrary map locations.
Storing or curtailing wind/solar simply costs less than nuclear at 50% capacity factor, so that’s the only way to make real progress.
Wind and solar have significantly reduced carbon emissions across most western countries. Nuclear doesn’t scale well due to capacity factor falling with daily and seasonal changes in demand. France sitting next to non nuclear Germany can have lots of nuclear but that’s little different that some US states having more nuclear while connected to other states with less. What matters is the overall grid not arbitrary map locations.
Storing or curtailing wind/solar simply costs less than nuclear at 50% capacity factor, so that’s the only way to make real progress.