The largest forum for discussions on nuclear energy in Poland
The Baltic Nuclear Energy Forum conference gathered a distinguished group of representatives from the scientific community, experts in nuclear energy and nuclear physics, and businesses keenly interested in participating in the creation of Poland’s first nuclear power plant. The discussions and panel debates, which were followed at the European Solidarity Center and in free workshops, saw the participation of over 400 attendees. About 250 followed the conference online.
The topic related to nuclear power electrifies the public opinion, especially in Pomerania, where the first nuclear power plant is to be built. A certain gap was also noticeable – there was a lack of a holistic approach in the discussion, a platform that would bring together all stakeholders seeing potential in the nuclear industry. The Baltic Nuclear Energy Forum was designed from the start with the intention of building such a platform and – if one listens to the voices of the participants – the goal was achieved. This event proved to be extremely necessary for the industry and at the same time provided an opportunity for its further development.
The Baltic Nuclear Energy Forum gathered key players in the nuclear industry worldwide.
The debates featured voices from representatives of global and local offices and branches of companies such as: EDF, Westinghouse, Bechtel, GE Hitachi, Orlen Synthos Green Energy, AtkinsRealis, Polish Nuclear Power Plants Ltd. (Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe Sp. z o.o.), as well as representatives of consulting firms and banks: Baker McKenzie, KPMG, BNP Paribas, and Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego.
In addition to topics related to financing nuclear energy, issuing necessary administrative decisions, issues concerning the selection of appropriate technologies, safety, and health, two themes emerged as linchpins that almost all discussions revolved around: public support and climate change.
Experts emphasize that without public support, projects such as nuclear energy cannot be realized. The awareness of this fact resonated strongly during the debate dedicated to social communication. It is important to make society aware of the role of nuclear energy in the energy transformation towards sustainable development of the European Union and the role of nuclear energy in Poland’s energy transformation. Studies conducted by the Ministry of Climate and Environment reveal low knowledge about nuclear energy in Poland. They also indicate the need to expand knowledge about the impact of nuclear power plants on human health and life, the environment, as well as issues of waste management, and the economic benefits and investments in nuclear power plants. This represents a vast field to be cultivated, and we are aware that the discussion within the conference was just the beginning of a much wider debate.
Climate change, alongside the biodiversity crisis, is one of the most significant challenges faced by Polish institutions and citizens.
An essential element of the transition to a more sustainable future is a drastic overhaul of our energy system. Energy based on coal and gas is harmful not only to the climate and nature but also to ourselves. Coal, which once built the wealth of entire regions and now harms us all, and gas, whose availability is increasingly associated with the word “blackmail,” are already being slowly replaced by low-emission sources. Such a reorientation is neither easy nor simple and naturally meets resistance. However, we must ask ourselves: “do we still have time?”. The strategy to combat climate change is based on adaptation and mitigation – mainly through striving for zero emissions and the elimination of fossil fuels. From this perspective, nuclear energy used in the energy mix is not only a source of continuous supply of clean and relatively cheap energy but also an ally in efforts to slow down the process of climate change.
We believe that the first edition of the Baltic Nuclear Energy Forum is just the beginning of a broad conversation about nuclear energy in Poland – its future and the opportunities that the development of this sector provides.
We thank our Honorary Patrons, Institutional Patrons, Partners, and Media Patrons for their active and substantive contribution to building the value of the Baltic Nuclear Energy Forum. Without this support, we would not have been able to realize the project of creating the largest forum for debate on nuclear energy in Poland.
We invite you to follow the website www.bnef.pl/2024. There, post-conference materials will appear, as well as valuable substantive articles from our Partners and Experts who supported us in the work on the conference.
See you next year!