In recent years, nuclear energy companies have focused on the manufacture of cheaper, safer and modular microreactors. They are also expected to contribute greatly to decarbonization efforts across sectors.
The nuclear power has continued to make significant progress in recent years, with last year alone seeing significant progress on US nuclear deployment goals, historic reactor restarts, and several new reactor deployments.
This has been driven by the new climate goalsand several countries are now looking for better sources of renewable energy to achieve your ecological goals.
Although nuclear development in Europe has been somewhat slower than in the US, several EU countries, such as Romania, France and Bulgariahave redoubled their efforts to acquire nuclear projects and increase investments.
The nuclear reactors They are used in various industries, such as the production of oilthe generation of electricitymanufacturing and desalination. They are also used in research facilities, nuclear power plants and for propulsionof ships such as icebreakers and submarines. Several consumer goods Smaller ones, such as watches, smoke detectors, and non-stick materials, also use small amounts of radioactive material.
In recent years, many nuclear energy companies have attempted to reduce the size of reactors in order to increase energy production with zero carbon emissionsas well as to help sectors reduce dependence on electric batteries. It is expected that these smaller reactors They are about the size of shipping containers and function essentially like smaller batteries.
Why are nuclear companies now focusing on microreactors?
Microreactors have the capacity to supply clean energywhile there are many more reliable than traditional generators, since they do not need to be refueled for years. They are also considered safer since they greatly reduce the risk of radioactive emissions.
Furthermore, there are many cheaper than the largest plants, while being modularsince they are built in a factory and then installed where they are needed in modules. Microreactors can also be applied to various purposes and industries, such as water desalination, district heating or military bases, among others.
They do not require workers nor on-site control room for operation or maintenance, allowing for more autonomous operation in all sectors, while reducing labor costs.
From traditional generators to nuclear microreactors
One of the main reasons why nuclear energy companies are currently opting for microreactors is to replace traditional generators that they use fossil fuels like gas and diesel, in a bid to contribute to global efforts to decarbonization.
Currently, this type of gas and diesel generators are used in a series of sectors such as agriculturethe manufacturing industrythe healththe constructionthe educationhe transport and the defenseamong others. They are also used for specific functions such as drilling rigs. oil and offshore gas, as well as data centers.
Thus, the move to microreactors Nuclear power plants can greatly contribute to these industries reducing, at least in part, their emissions and carbon footprint.
Microreactors have also been gaining popularity as their uses in the mining industry. Currently, most mines use diesel as the main energy source for digging, which can be expensive and highly polluting. However, microreactors can solve both of these problems thanks to their clean energy supply and long life.
The eVinci microreactor, in full development
One of the main companies leading the microreactor revolution is Westinghouse Nuclearwhich is working on the development of the eVinci microreactor. It is expected to have a production of about 5 megawatts of electricity for more than eight years, without the need to refuel.
It will aim to supply secure, carbon-free and scalable energy to a range of applications such as universities, remote communities, data centres, industrial hubs and defense operations. Also will have the capacity to produce hydrogen.
Jon Ball, head of Westinghouse Nuclear’s eVinci microreactor program, said: “Initially, the thinking was that there are parts of the economy that are very difficult to decarbonize, especially remote communities that rely on transportable diesel, which is very expensive. But the level of interest has grown a lot and We believe it will be an important growth area.“, according to ‘Financial Times’.
ADVERTISINGNuclear energy continues to encounter obstacles
Although nuclear energy has taken giant steps to advance in achieving the climate goals worldwide, continues to face numerous backlashes.
One of the main reasons for concern is the production of radioactive waste and its inappropriate disposal, in many cases. This has raised fears of risksfor health human and environmental over the coming years, in case this waste contaminates key resources such as bodies of water and land.
The risk of nuclear catastrophes like the disaster of Chernobyl and the accident at the nuclear power plant Fukushima Daiichi has also driven much of the opposition against new and existing nuclear projects.
Another major concern is the risk of proliferation of nuclear weaponswhich may exacerbate current geopolitical tensions. Other risks are that the miners of the uranium face rising rates of lung cancer.
ADVERTISINGHowever, one of the biggest deterrents to nuclear power to date, which is also expected to affect microreactor production, is the construction cost of nuclear reactorswhich can often run into billions of dollars.
Although the microreactors They cost much less than traditional nuclear reactors, still require a significant investmentin addition to not yet having a very developed market. This makes it considerably more difficult to find investors, especially in the current uncertain economic situation.
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