Main topic: Which energy resources will deliver low carbon energy? Nuclear or renewables? Or a combination of both? 

Context: Diffusion of the new technologies in modern societies and decline of established ones. 

Outline: The increasing urgency of climate change drives the decarbonization of energy mixes of multiple countries. However, while renewable sources are on the rise the second low-carbon source of electricity, nuclear, has been declining. In the discussion, we will focus on explaining this phenomenon. We will also address the more general issue of diffusion of new technologies in the modern systems and the decline of others. 

Sources: To start off, read this article. It focuses on the situation in the U.S., but its arguments could be generalized. (https://www.factcheck.org/2019/11/what-does-science-say-about-the-need-for-nuclear/) Watch this video explaining the economics of PV power plants, again the information could be generalized to other renewables. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKeiMWXUkCI&list=PLYcMUdmtJe6vnYzmBDjJAMAY56spc_Wad&index=2). In this video the concept of experience curve is debated; this concept will be used in the lecture. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs9_AnWrPGs). Detailed analysis of the situation in the nuclear industry read in Markard et.al., for the latest development in the renewable sector read IEA analysis, pages 29-35. 

Think about: Considering the perspectives of both nuclear and renewable sources, how much you build your evaluation on the detailed knowledge of the technologies, and how much it is dictated by the public discourse in your countries? 

You may find interesting (non-mandatory literature

Blazquez, J.; Fuentes-Bracamontes, R.; Manzano, B.(2019): A road map to navigate the energy transition. Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.