New nuclear research in Europe, looking at the so-called ‘4th generation’ reactor designs, seems to promise a ‘closed’ fuel cycle that recycles almost all of the heavy isotopes produced by the initial fission of uranium, leading to a more sustainable form of nuclear power station. The only problem is that the technology to actually build these reactors is still decades in the future, which is why it is heartening to learn that India is looking into using thorium reactors to solve its energy needs.
2 thoughts on “Nuclear: The Next Generation”
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Thorium will reduce, but not eliminate, proliferation issues, so hopefully it will work out.
If you’d like an inside look at how a US nuclear plant operates today, see my free online novel Rad Decision at http://RadDecision.blogspot.com .
Reader comments on the homepage are quite positive.
“I’d like to see Rad Decision widely read.” – Stewart Brand, noted futurist and founder of The Whole Earth Catalog.
RadDecision.blogspot.com
For more discussion about thorium as a future energy source, please visit the “Energy From Thorium” discussion forum at:
http://www.energyfromthorium.com/forum/