China will account for almost 75 percent of the total global increase in nuclear power generation by 2035, estimates the latest Energy Outlook published by British oil and gas giant BP.
China's nuclear generating capacity is expected to grow 11% annually by 2035, equivalent to almost three-quarters of the global increase in nuclear generation.
The report forecasts nuclear power generation to grow 2.3% annually over the 2015-2035 period, with the share of nuclear power to increase from 4% to 5% of the entire energy mix.
BP, however, forecasts a drop in Europe's nuclear generating capacity as older plants are decommissioned and there's little new investment. It expects the EU's nuclear power generation to be 30% lower by 2035 than in 2015. Japan might restart some of its idled nuclear reactors gradually by 2025.
Almost two-thirds of the increase in global energy consumption from 2015-2035 will go to power generation, said BP. Because of this, the share of energy used for power generation should jump from 42% in 2015 to 47% by 2035.
Renewable energy sources should account for 40% of the growth in power generation, leading to an increase in their share of global power from 7% in 2015 to almost 20% by 2035.
The report expects oil, gas and coal to remain the dominant sources of energy, accounting for over three-quarters of total global energy supplies in 2035, but down from 85% in 2015.
Carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels will increase, too. BP said carbon emissions from energy use might increase by some 13% between 2015 and 2035.
This total far exceeds the International Energy Agency's 450 Scenario that suggest carbon emissions need to fall by around 30% by 2035 to have a good chance of achieving the goals set out in the Paris climate change agreement.
BP, however, pointed out that projected carbon emission growth should be less than one-third of the rate seen over the past 20 years. This will be the slowest rate of emissions growth for any 20 year period since BP's records began in 1965.
BP also predicted world energy demand will increase by only around 30 percent says between 2015 and 2035.