February 2, 2012

Guardian: New generation of nuclear reactors could consume radioactive waste as fuel

New generation of nuclear reactors could consume radioactive waste as fuel

A new generation of "fast" nuclear reactors could consume Britain's radioactive waste stockpile as fuel, providing enough low-carbon electricity to power the country for more than 500 years, according to figures confirmed by the chief scientific adviser to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc).


Britain's large stockpile of nuclear waste includes more than 100 tonnes of plutonium and 35,000 tonnes of depleted uranium. The plutonium in particular presents a security risk as a potential target for terrorists and will cost billions to dispose of safely. The government is currently considering options for disposing of or managing it.

The engineering firm GE Hitachi has submitted an alternative proposal based on their Prism fast reactor, which could consume the plutonium as fuel while generating electricity.


"It's a very elegant idea that we should try and use [the waste] as efficiently as possible. I definitely find it an attractive idea", said Prof David MacKay, Decc's chief scientific adviser.

Fast reactors are indeed a no-brainer IMHO. Killing two birds with one stone - getting rid of radioactive waste from traditional reactors permanently, and generate lots of carbon-free electricity at the same time. Finally is this elegant idea being considered, after billions wasted on geological storage "solutions". Nuclear "waste" is not really a waste, it is a very energetic and thus valuable fuel.

Related article by british environmentalist George Monbiot:
A Waste of Waste

January 1, 2012

Obama primary opponent Bob Greene: Calif. man has energy plan for U.S. for next 1000 years

DOVER — Democratic presidential candidate Bob Greene is hoping to use his lesser known campaign to raise awareness of greener energy sources he says could provide energy for the next 1,000 years for Americans.

Born and raised in Massachusetts, he received his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Wyoming. He currently lives in Mountain View, Calif., but when he made the decision to push his position on cleaner energy policies, he opted to put down the $1,000 and take a stab at running for president.

This is Greene's first time running, and he's not sure if it's his last, but he certainly wants the world to know his position on thorium — a natural radioactive chemical element he hopes can change the nation's dependence on foreign oil.

A piece of thorium the size of a golf ball would be enough to provide energy for one person for their lifetime, he said.

"I see this as an issue of national security," he said. "We can stop oil wars if we do this. We can change our import economy to an export economy."

He said if such a plan went through, he could see it rejuvenating the manufacturing industry in America with new jobs to create these plants.

Source:
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111230/GJNEWS_01/712309949

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Obama completely ignored the huge potential of LFTR to make America energy independent ( http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/7970619/Obama-could-kill-fossil-fuels-overnight-with-a-nuclear-dash-for-thorium.html ), and his energy policy was not much of a policy at all. This candidate endorses a truly progressive energy vision to once again put America on the world forefront of energy innovation.
If not, we will have to buy it from the Chinese, who already started their LFTR development program.

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_fluoride_thorium_reactor