Addressing the nuclear industry's need to accelerate the deployment of innovation for global energy security and sustainability, the third Global Forum for Nuclear Innovation (GFNI) provided participants with tools and resources to address barriers to innovation within their organizations.
"The tide is turning in favour of nuclear energy. We're seeing opportunities that haven't been there for more than a generation," said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in his video message to participants. "People are counting on nuclear for two very important things: to mitigate climate change, and to ensure the reliable, affordable energy on which society runs."
GFNI, organized in cooperation with the IAEA, attracted more than 150 professionals from over 20 countries last month in Miami, Florida in the United States of America. The forum provided participants with a diverse toolkit to overcome barriers to nuclear innovation, including a course on hosting and facilitating workshops and a handbook on tackling challenges within the nuclear sector.
This year it aimed to help turn 'Ambition into Action' by bringing together global influencers and decision makers at all organizational levels, including several outside the nuclear industry. Alongside the IAEA, GFNI was co-organized with US-based institutions Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Florida Power & Light (FPL) and NextEra Energy, as well as the UK National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA).
The "You and Me vs The Problem" session brought together a diverse group of nuclear industry regulators and other leaders for a panel discussion on the power of diversity of thought in tackling common problems (Photo: EPRI).
"Together, we are committed to leading our industry in adopting the culture and behaviours needed to drive innovative and lasting change," said Neil Wilmshurst, Senior Vice President of Energy System Resources and Chief Nuclear Officer at EPRI. "In this pivotal moment for nuclear, we must fully leverage the support, resources, and technologies that were only just emerging when GFNI came about and use these to accelerate operational excellence and access to new nuclear - to truly turn ambition into action. Opportunities like GFNI create space to introduce and incubate projects and to apply ideas and practical tools to constructively launch and sustain nuclear innovation into the future."
Since its launch in 2019, GFNI has been dedicated to accelerating innovation in nuclear energy. Leading up to the event, the GFNI Steering Committee published the GFNI Ambition in Action Framework, a research project that examined various aspects of the nuclear energy sector. This research included both qualitative and quantitative data to better understand what factors were helping or hindering the transition from goals to actions. The document shed light on the key tools needed to speed up innovation in the sector.
An IAEA Technical Meeting on Innovation at Operating Nuclear Power Plants ran concurrently to GFNI, providing an opportunity for participants to exchange experiences and discuss ways to enhance innovation and boost the competitiveness of their facilities. The technical meeting aimed to promote the necessity of nuclear power in the shift towards sustainable energy systems.
"The IAEA's Technical Meeting brought together a diverse mix of experienced experts and early career professionals from 12 Member States to Miami to engage in the week's immersive activities," said Ed Bradley, the IAEA's Team Leader for Nuclear Power Plant Operation and Engineering Support. "Through their participation, the GFNI Framework - along with the know-how to apply it - is now available to a truly global community of nuclear power innovators."
Participants working in small groups during one of the breakout sessions at the Global Forum for Nuclear Innovation held in Miami, Florida, USA in June 2024 (Photo: EPRI).
