Publications

@article{Diaz-Maurin2015,

title = {The unresolved controversy over nuclear power: A new approach from complexity theory},

author = {Fran\c{c}ois Diaz-Maurin and Zora Kovacic},

url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0959378015000163},

doi = {10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.01.014},

issn = {09593780},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-03-01},

journal = {Global Environmental Change},

volume = {31},

pages = {207--216},

publisher = {Pergamon},

abstract = {We explore the controversy over nuclear power by looking at the plurality of narratives that have emerged throughout its history. We find a lack of consistency between the visions of nuclear power put forward by governments and industry and the experience associated with economic viability, nuclear accidents, waste handling, and so on. We use the conceptual tool of holon from complexity theory to provide a link between the models used for the governance of nuclear power and the realization of those models. The analysis of the holon over time reveals a systemic inconsistency between the way in which the story about nuclear energy is told and the experience gained after implementing nuclear energy according to the story. This inconsistency is due to the incompatible levels of observation used by different social actors endorsing different perspectives. The implementation of nuclear power has been based on the engineering view, focusing on the functioning of the nuclear power plant considered in abstraction from the wider implications of the adoption of this technology on the environment, on the economy, and on society. We cross-check this narrative with the societal metabolism view in order to provide a long term perspective of the interdependencies between nuclear power and the complex socio-economic system in which it is embedded. We conclude that the controversy over nuclear power may be treated as a problem of contrasting beliefs and normative values in clear disjunction from experience. The analysis presented in this paper suggests that more attention should be given to the quality of the narratives used in policy making.},

keywords = {Epistemology, Hierarchy Theory, Historical analysis, Nuclear energy, Science for governance, Technology choice},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Diaz-Maurin2013,

title = {A “Grammar” for assessing the performance of power-supply systems: Comparing nuclear energy to fossil energy},

author = {Fran\c{c}ois Diaz-Maurin and Mario Giampietro},

url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0360544212008754},

doi = {10.1016/j.energy.2012.11.014},

issn = {03605442},

year  = {2013},

date = {2013-01-01},

journal = {Energy},

volume = {49},

number = {1},

pages = {162--177},

abstract = {This article illustrates an innovative approach for the characterization and comparison of the performance of power-supply systems. The concept of 'grammar' forces to declare the pre-analytical decisions about: (i) semantic and formal categories used for the accounting - primary energy sources (PES), energy carriers (EC), and production factors; (ii) the set of functional and structural elements of the power-supply system included in the analysis. After having tamed the systemic ambiguity associated with energy accounting, it becomes possible to generate a double assessment referring to: (i) external constraints - the consumption of PES and the generation of waste and pollution; and (ii) internal constraints - the requirements of production factors such as human labor, power capacity, internal consumption of EC for making EC. The case study provided compares the production of EC (electricity) with " nuclear energy" and " fossil energy" When considering internal constraints, nuclear energy requires about twice as much power capacity (5.9-9.5 kW/GWh vs. 2.6-2.9 kW/GWh) and 5-8 times more labor (570-640 h/GWh vs. 80-115 h/GWh). Things do not improve for nuclear energy when looking at external constraints - e.g. the relative scarcity of PES. This may explain the difficulties faced by nuclear energy to gain interest from investors. textcopyright 2012 Elsevier Ltd.},

keywords = {Biophysical economics, Fossil energy, Integrated analysis, Nuclear energy, Power generation, Power-supply systems},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}