China touts nuclear fuel 'breakthrough'

China touts nuclear fuel 'breakthrough'

www.news.com.au

CHINESE scientists have made a breakthrough in nuclear fuel reprocessing technology that could effectively end any uranium supply concerns, state media reported.

The technology developed by state-run China National Nuclear Corp enables the country to re-use irradiated nuclear fuel, China Central Television said on Monday.

"China's proven uranium sources will last only 50 to 70 years, but this now changes to 3000 years," said the report.

The development would be an important step forward in China's plans to increase the share of alternative power sources in its energy mix to reduce

(visit the link for the full news article)

China aims to increase nuclear power capacity to 70-80 gigawatts by 2020, accounting for about five per cent of the country's total installed power capacity, state press reports have said.

The Government said previously the target was 40 gigawatts.

China currently produces around 750 tonnes of uranium a year but annual demand could rise to 20,000 tonnes a year by 2020 as it boosts nuclear power output, the China Daily newspaper has said

As a technolgical breahtrough this is really cool to read about, that they now have gone from 75 to 3000 years worth of energy or something. Pity its nuclear based but again interesting to read about!

www.news.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by q_ball


lol they are trying to knock down the price of nuclear material at the same time drive up their precious metal. I have a feeling this really isn't true as china has been known to pull stunts like this all the time. Its their way of trying to have people look the other way while they dump the waste somewhere else while they act like they are recycling so the rest of the world doesn't fine them. China is the biggest polluter in the world what makes you think they spent the time to research this when they could just buy it form Russia for cheap.

nuclear energy is one of the cleanest forms of energy for the enviroment. but again, peoples fear and brainwashing at the hands of politicians who feel nuclear energy is a threat to the oil industry have pretty much ruled it out in the near future.

I don't buy it. Why not just upgrade to Thorium reactors?

Originally posted by sonofliberty1776
I don't buy it. Why not just upgrade to Thorium reactors?

I only discovered Thorium reactors about 2 years ago, iirc I caught some news about a Norwegian trial run, there seems to be no downside to Thorium reactors except that they don't help with a weapons program, they're cleaner, cheaper and produce much less toxic waste.

I wish the Iranians would shift their program to Thorium then no body could use the nuke excuse to bomb or invade them.

reply to post by Thepreye
Hell, everybody should switch to Thorium. There is no downside, except as you said; no weapons grade materials. Actually, that is the main reason I do not believe the Iranians. If all they wanted was the energy, Thorium is cheaper, there is no radioactive waste, and no plausible excuse for the western powers to attack them. It is a no lose situation for them, so why not? Only one reason why not....they want the weapons.

reply to post by sonofliberty1776


Let's start pushing the meme, this little part of this thread could be the catalyst that creates the public demand for a world wide let's switch to Thorium campaign.

reply to post by Thepreye

We don't want to derail the OP's thread. Why don't you start a Thorium thread?

Originally posted by randomname
nuclear energy is one of the cleanest forms of energy for the enviroment. but again, peoples fear and brainwashing at the hands of politicians who feel nuclear energy is a threat to the oil industry have pretty much ruled it out in the near future.

I agree. The only way nuclear energy will improve in terms of efficiency and safety is further experience using it.

What ever happened to those portable, mini-nuclear reactors that some US company developed? I thought those were a pretty good idea, at least for powering outposts or for populating an area in a remote or hostile climate.

Originally posted by sonofliberty1776
I don't buy it. Why not just upgrade to Thorium reactors?

Thorium and uranium are both wonderful sources of energy, and both need to be developed.

The biggest obstacles to affordable long-term energy for humanity are not technological issues, but this irrational fear of public of everything nuclear.

reply to post by randomname


cleanest while making energy what about when it is spent turns it to the most devastating energy we could bother using.

reply to post by vkturbo

That is why we should be using Thorium. Thorium reactors "eat" the radioactivity in the Uranium. Do your research, Thorium reactors would erase any ecological complaints.

Originally posted by q_ball

China aims to increase nuclear power capacity to 70-80 gigawatts by 2020, accounting for about five per cent of the country's total installed power capacity, state press reports have said.

The Government said previously the target was 40 gigawatts.

China currently produces around 750 tonnes of uranium a year but annual demand could rise to 20,000 tonnes a year by 2020 as it boosts nuclear power output, the China Daily newspaper has said

As a technolgical breahtrough this is really cool to read about, that they now have gone from 75 to 3000 years worth of energy or something. Pity its nuclear based but again interesting to read about!

www.news.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

edit on 3-1-2011 by q_ball because: (no reason given)

In my opinion there's nothing wrong with utilising nuclear power for energy production. Maybe China could reprocess some of the buried nuclear waste also? solves some problems on that front too, don't know if that would be possible though.

The technology is there anyway, and since the weapons are built already, why not at least benefit as much as possible on the positive sides of it?

The issues currently with thorium as an energy source is that no current reactors are compatible, which means that special thorium reactors & plants would have to be designed from scratch and then built while uranium ones would then have to be decommisioned.... Effectively its all down to cost, TPTB wont switch because the tech and reactors for uranium (not to mention the weapons capability) are already developed and in use. It is a remarkable mistake by them however though, but time will show them the error of their ways eventually.

Originally posted by sonofliberty1776

We don't want to derail the OP's thread. Why don't you start a Thorium thread?

There's a thread on Thorium here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by sonofliberty1776


I have heard of thorium reactors heard it alot on here months ago was mearly pointing out what someone said was completely wrong about nuclear energy being the cleanest energy and from the way they wrote it they weren't on about thorium either. Don't need someone like you to tell me to research it FFS

reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi


Russia has a few of those portable nuclear power stations. It's a neat idea considering most live in rural areas.

reply to post by vkturbo


Advanced nuclear energy IS the cleanest form of energy, in terms of environment impact per unit of energy produced. The only thing that is comparable is concentrated solar power (not PV). All other solutions produce far more total environmental damage per energy produced.

reply to post by Hellmutt


Thanks dude, both for the link and saving me the time and effort of rising to the challenge and doing a Thorium thread.