I don't understand why the West hesitates with nuclear power.
Its not cost effective. The US's latest nuclear plant took 15 years to build and cost $35 billion. The 15 years part alone is enough reason to focus on other energy sources
China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025
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Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025
#32I don't understand why the West hesitates with nuclear power.
https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/nuclear-dead-end-i...
It is just not economically feasible. Money makes the world go 'round and that's often a good thing. I wish you luck convincing a bank to give you a loan for a nuclear plant. They know the math.
Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025
#33I don't understand why the West hesitates with nuclear power.
https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/nuclear-dead-end-i... It is just not economically feasible. Money makes the world go 'round and that's often a good thing. I wish you luck convincing a bank to give you a loan for a nuclear plant. They know the math.
Technology can make things cheaper, often a tiny fraction of the previous unit cost. We have plenty of examples of this; why wouldn't it also be true for nuclear power?
Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nope. But I suspect it's beyond learning. The Chinese may understand nuclear power better than almost anyone else, France not withstanding. I could believe this is a strategic move, to diversify power input sources as well. Look I am not knocking learning, but I don't think thats the key drive here.
yeah I think that hypothesis has legs. China has been trying to diversify their energy portfolio for a long time now. They're also going full steam ahead on wind and solar and is the world leader in battery storage (lithium ion and other types too). Fossil fuel, other than coal, has always been a major weakness for China that can be choked off via the Straits of Malacca. I wonder if powering their reactor using thori…
One day they might be able to sell ready made thorium reactors. That would be big business.
Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025
#35I don't understand why the West hesitates with nuclear power.
Its not cost effective. The US's latest nuclear plant took 15 years to build and cost $35 billion. The 15 years part alone is enough reason to focus on other energy sources
In China it takes 5-7 years. What would we have to give up to be able to do that?
Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
Its not cost effective. The US's latest nuclear plant took 15 years to build and cost $35 billion. The 15 years part alone is enough reason to focus on other energy sources
In China it takes 5-7 years. What would we have to give up to be able to do that?
No need to give up anything, except a poorly designed regulatory environment :
https://www.construction-physics.com/p/why-are-nuclear-power...
Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025
#37I don't understand why the West hesitates with nuclear power.
https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/nuclear-dead-end-i... It is just not economically feasible. Money makes the world go 'round and that's often a good thing. I wish you luck convincing a bank to give you a loan for a nuclear plant. They know the math.
The economics of nuclear power is dominated by a poorly designed regulatory environment (which can be changed if regulators are suitablely motivated).
https://www.construction-physics.com/p/why-are-nuclear-power...
Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nope. But I suspect it's beyond learning. The Chinese may understand nuclear power better than almost anyone else, France not withstanding. I could believe this is a strategic move, to diversify power input sources as well. Look I am not knocking learning, but I don't think thats the key drive here.
yeah I think that hypothesis has legs. China has been trying to diversify their energy portfolio for a long time now. They're also going full steam ahead on wind and solar and is the world leader in battery storage (lithium ion and other types too). Fossil fuel, other than coal, has always been a major weakness for China that can be choked off via the Straits of Malacca. I wonder if powering their reactor using thori…
Straits of Malacca is a red herring. The strait is the shortest route from Persian Gulf to China. But there are other routes through Indonesia, or could take detour around Indonesia or even Australia. The US Navy can block anywhere.
Also, there are supertankers bigger than Malaccamax, the largest ships than can use the strait. The Chinamax and Capesize ships are bigger.
Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025
#39Well, good. It's a shame nobody else has stepped up to do this first. Maybe China doing it first will help get the ball rolling.
Their ball is already rolling. They put a pair of high temperature gas cooled pebble bed reactors into operation a little more than a year ago. They're actively exploring every avenue of nuclear power without restraint, including thorium and fast breeders. It hasn't yet occurred to the Chinese that the prosperity afforded by abundant energy is a problem they're supposed to be solving.
Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
About one third of China's politburo, including Xi Jinping, have degrees in Engineering. The West's leadership is all attorneys or finance.
In the case of the US, the latest president is a failed businessman who is more concerned about trans people, abortion, and immigrants than progress. According to media I’m supposed to hate China but I don’t hear Xi Jinping spouting nonsense like that.
I guarantee you he's not that concerned about trans people, abortion or immigration. They are great ways to sow division though.