The International Energy Agency projects that global nuclear capacity will double by 2050 as developing economies work to meet rising energy needs while reigning in carbon emissions. The resulting demand for next generation nuclear technologies represents a major opportunity for the U.S.
But despite having pioneered the nuclear industry and continuing to innovate, U.S. companies face huge disadvantages as they try to compete against state-backed enterprises working aggressively to capture these markets.
In this panel discussion hosted recently by Foreign Policy, Brendan Bechtel, Poland’s minister for energy, and the head of the U.S. Export-Import Bank discuss these challenges and opportunities, and what the U.S. can do to maintain its leadership in nuclear and compete in the market for clean-energy technologies.