Australia Rules Out Nuclear Energy

Australia has ruled out the introduction of nuclear power as a source of clean energy, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced.

Rudd said that Australia had multiple alternative energy sources and would not be heading in the direction of developing civil nuclear power, Nuclear Power Daily reports.

Australia, which is a major coal exporter, is developing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to reduce carbon emissions from burning coal to result in less pollution.

Coal is expected to remain a major player in global energy production for decades, according to Rudd.

Australia is expecting to build two or three carbon capture and storage projects within the next decade.

Australia has the world's largest reserves of uranium, but has no nuclear power industry to use the fuel.