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But this would need to be a fail save type of reactor and with a clear plan(s) all the way down to how the waste is handled till it's no longer active.
I've been thinking about this for a bit and had a similar model in mind. You build small nuclear reactors in a containers - similar how Google builds their DC. You find an abandoned coal mine shaft and put them deep in the ground. The cost optimizations come from: - economies of scale - no decommission costs - you just leave them to decay. - fewer security measures.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
If it were a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, then probably yes.
I don't think that would generate enough power for a car. See maximum output of some here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_ge...
Of course the pellets are insanely toxic in just about every way.
>Environmentalists are divided over nuclear power, with some maintaining it is dangerous and expensive, while others say that to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 all technologies are needed. Yes, a mix of technologies. But there's more to it than that. We're going to need increasing amounts of power in the future to explore the solar system and to solve all kinds of existential problems. Energy usage is not inheren…
an aside: why d nuclear reactors have to be built on the coast? does that not make them more vulnerable to natural disasters
Personally I'm all for having mini reactors if it means we can generate reliable energy with minimal pollution. Anything that helps reduce emissions should be considered. But this would need to be a fail save type of reactor and with a clear plan(s) all the way down to how the waste is handled till it's no longer active.
By unproven I mean that the economics of it is unproven. We have no proof that SMR will be cheaper than large reactors. The article points this out as well.
By late I mean at current fast pace of development a lot of will happen with wind and solar in the 10 years it will take for this to get online.
Nuclear reactors' biggest drawback is the cost and danger of dismantling and disposing of them after their working life is finished. Up till then they are clean and cost-effective.