Nuclear Innovation Alliance

Overview

The Giving Green Fund plans to award a grant to the Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA), a US-based think-and-do tank, to support its work on nuclear policy advocacy.

We are supporting an ecosystem of nonprofits working on policies to support advanced nuclear innovation in the US, given that the US is important for designing and demonstrating these technologies before they are exported elsewhere.

NIA falls within our philanthropic strategy of supporting nuclear power as a way to diversify energy portfolios. Please see Giving Green’s deep dive report on nuclear power for more information, including risks and potential co-benefits, recommended sub-strategies, theory of change, funding need, and key uncertainties.

Last updated: October 2024

What is NIA?

NIA is a think-and-do tank that supports research, development, and deployment (RD&D) of advanced nuclear technologies. Its core program areas include Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing reform, bipartisan federal and state policy, investment and entrepreneurship (e.g., Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp), and deep decarbonization. NIA was founded in 2015 as a spin-off from Clean Air Task Force.

What are we funding at NIA, and how could it help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Nuclear power can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by replacing or avoiding carbon-emitting energy sources. It can work alongside renewable energy by providing a steady electricity supply, regardless of the season or environmental conditions. The future of advanced nuclear reactors, which are designed to be lower cost to build than traditional nuclear reactors and to have advanced safety features, depends on technological progress and political conditions.

A key focus of NIA’s current work is on modernizing licensing at NRC, which can quicken the pace for innovation and accelerate deployment. It is also working to catalyze early-mover nuclear projects by implementing existing nuclear policy wins and engaging with stakeholders on derisking nuclear investments. We think NIA’s work helps address key obstacles to building new nuclear plants.

NIA plans to use additional funding to scale its operations. It is interested in hiring staff to assess what is needed to integrate nuclear power into industrial decarbonization and meet increased electricity demand from the tech industry. Its new hire(s) will also engage with policymakers and external stakeholders on federal and state policy changes.

Why do we think NIA will use this funding well?

NIA has informed and advocated for various nuclear energy policies that have been passed, including tax credits for advanced nuclear reactors in the Inflation Reduction Act and various measures related to licensing in both the ADVANCE Act and the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act. Based on conversations we have had with others in the nuclear policy ecosystem, we think that NIA has found its niche in producing highly quantitative technical analysis and developing bipartisan policy recommendations. We think NIA has the capacity to grow its operations and could become more impactful with increased resources.

For more on the difference between the grantees of the Giving Green Fund and our Top Nonprofits, please see this blog post on the Giving Green Fund. This is a non-partisan analysis (study or research) and is provided for educational purposes.