Steady Energy’s development is currently being assessed by the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority. However, demand is already outstripping supply: to date, Steady Energy has entered into 15 agreements for the supply of the LDR-150 reactor, also due to high interest in reducing emissions in the residential sector and industry. Steady Energy estimates that thermal energy generation accounts for about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
This share can be reduced by using nuclear reactors, which are low-carbon sources. According to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), nuclear power plants emit just 12 grams per kilowatt-hour of electricity (kWh) over their entire life cycle (from construction to decommissioning). This is four times lower than solar panels (48 grams per kWh), which use carbon-intensive silicon in their production. However, in the case of the Steady Energy project, emissions will be even lower, since the LDR-150 reactor will not have turbines to generate electricity.
Overall, heat supply may become an important demand factor for small reactor construction. In the coming years, their clients will also include IT giants who need to supply data centers 24/7 while delivering emissions savings that are important to investors. McKinsey predicts that by 2030, 25 GW of capacity will be needed to supply European data centers. Growing demand is attracting new suppliers: for example, the startup Deep Atomic AG recently announced the development of a small reactor with a capacity of 60 MW of electrical energy and 180 MW of thermal one, which will occupy only 80 square meters of space.
Ultimately, this should reduce the dependence of nuclear energy on government customers, who could provide large investments in the construction of high-capacity nuclear power plants.
