Ron Schenone

Bill Gates Wants Power, Nuclear Power For Green Energy

Posted by on Jun 16, 2010 | 4 Comments

Bill Gates wants to be a nuclear power player and has forged a deal with his company, Terra Power, and Toshiba to develop nuclear energy using new technology known as  ‘traveling-wave reactors’. With this type of reactor it uses depleted uranium that is being claimed could last for 60 to 100 years or more.  Bill Gates company, Terra Power, believes that this energy source could have the potential to power our energy needs for thousands of years to come.


TerraPower explains the science behind traveling-wave reactors:

A nuclear fission reactor produces and controls the release of energy from splitting atoms of certain heavy elements. The nuclear power plants of today require a full core of fuel made from enriched uranium. The TWR, in contrast, initially contains only a small amount of enriched uranium, which is used to kick off the chain reaction through a core of depleted uranium. The wave of fission would move slowly through this depleted uranium core, splitting many more of the uranium atoms than a conventional reactor would.

Though the first reactors will only be able to produce about 500 megawatt of power, it is hoped that future reactors will hit gigawatt-sized.

So what do you think? Is going nuclear the way to go to get us out of the energy crisis?

Comments welcome.

Source – Fast Company

Source – Fast Company

  • Dick

    Wow. If this turns out like the PR it will indeed change the energy landscape.

    By the way, 500 MW is plenty for my neighborhood!

    I guess the main question is “What are electric prices going to be with this new system?”

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      EXPENSIVE! LOL
      Bill isn’t doing this because he loves us.

  • http://www.howictheworld.com hotrao

    I think that, despite everyone fearing the “nuclear option”, this could be part of our future: A source of power non impacting at environmental level (at least in a reasonable amount of time).

    On the other side, I don’t understand if this will create a problem of waste or at least of maintenance, but if benefits are obvious in the quite immediate timeframe, on the problems side we are moving the problem to future generations and this is nor fair nor smart.

    Another possible problem could arise from those having access to this technology and, more in general to nuclear activities. This could be overrun by limiting the market by regulating it very strictly.

    Overall I’m positive on this solution, while I think a set of measures should be put in place to ensure a sustainable and safe approach is guaranted.

  • http://gmail Trust

    I think it is gonna change our lives, who knows maybe we won’t worry about ernegy again. Thank u bill, u r a life saver.