When I was in 6th grade I was assigned to write a report about energy. We had to compare and contrast two forms of energy and I chose coal powered electricity generation vs. nuclear. After spending time poring over the relevant printed encyclopedia pages (for those of us who are old enough to remember those giant books!), I gathered and summarized as much information as I could on the pros and cons of each. While coal was abundant and the technology was well understood and economical, it suffered from significant issues with sulfur oxide pollution which was causing acid rain at the time, and carbon emissions which were recognized, but not fully appreciated or understood in those days. Nuclear was more expensive to build and operate and suffered from public safety concerns while being air pollution free but also lacking a long term solution for the waste being generated.
My conclusion as a 6th grader? I felt the challenges associated with nuclear could be managed, and it was worth the risks to avoid the air pollution and carbon emissions of coal. Of course that was before accidents like Chernobyl or Fukushima which may have altered my thinking. Given where we are now with the climate emergency, many people are reconsidering how nuclear can play a role in the energy mix.
One way this is happening is through the development of Small Modular Reactors. These reactors use nuclear fission technology but the small and modular aspects allow them to be built more affordably and shipped anywhere power is needed. This has the potential to flip the script on nuclear power construction which to date has been limited to site specific, custom designs that have to go through years or decades of approvals at all levels of government. This is already starting to happen with two pilot projects in the U.S., one in Wyoming and another in Idaho.
Bottom line: nuclear is still controversial with many folks pushing for SMRs while others are finding that these new technologies are still too expensive for widespread adoption. And I haven't even mentioned the promise of nuclear fusion.
What We're Reading
US Energy Information Administration
Ed Lyman Director, Nuclear Power Safety
Angela Dewan, Ella Nilsen, Lou Robinson
Staff Picks!
Internships
I continue to research, curate, and expand the number of companies on the list. These established companies and startups are doing truly amazing things related to solar, wind, hydrogen, energy storage, geothermal, carbon capture, low carbon materials, transportation and many others. Let me know if you have companies you would like to see added!
