We round up the past week’s news and updates from the world of Nuclear.
IAEA Designates Collaborating Centre in Canada to Assist on Advanced Nuclear Power Technology, by iaea.org: “The IAEA has designated Ontario Tech University as a Collaborating Centre to support IAEA activities on advanced nuclear power technology including small modular reactors (SMRs) as well as the non‑electric applications of nuclear energy. The institution is the first in Canada to receive such a designation.”
Why a new generation of nuclear is the key to delivering net zero, by Politics Home: “Moreover, sites such as Hartlepool, and many others across the UK, are ideally suited to deploying the nuclear technologies of the future, such as small and advanced modular reactors. These designs have matured much sooner than originally anticipated and offer further solutions for the production of clean heat and green hydrogen. There are also UK companies looking to build micro reactors, enabling remote and isolated communities to wean themselves off burning fossil fuels for their power.”
See inside a nuclear reactor – we take behind the scenes trip to Sizewell B, by East Anglian Daily Times: “For scientists fascinated by nuclear technology, seeing a reactor up close is a dream – perhaps like seeing your favourite football team live. Even though he has been into the containment area many times, Sizewell B station director Robert Gunn said: “I genuinely still feel excited when I go around the plant and see the technology – even after working for the company for 30 years.”
Disused coal plants could be converted for SMRs, by New Civil Engineer: “Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) president and chief executive Jeff Lyash told a virtual Atlantic Council event last week that shut coal power plants have potential for SMR development because of their available water resources and existing power grid connections.”
Nuclear Reactors Could Provide Plentiful Zero-Carbon Hydrogen, If Only We Let Them, by Forbes: “Hydrogen was thrust into the spotlight as a promising clean energy source by President George W. Bush in his 2003 State of the Union address. President Bush touted the potential for a “hydrogen economy” that would greatly slow the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Since then, billions of dollars have been invested in an attempt to realize this vision. Hydrogen’s appeal is obvious. When hydrogen is combusted in an engine or consumed in a fuel cell, it combines with oxygen to form water. Thus, a car running on hydrogen is primarily emitting water vapor as a waste product.”
