A suggested roadmap for world-wide energy resource planning and management

Abstract

In the near future, we will need an internationally based system for worldwide planning of future energy resources and their effect on the world environment. Logically, this should be a responsibility of the United Nations, which already possesses much of the infrastructure needed and is already active in this area. Because different nations have different resources, different problems and different needs, it is reasoned that a flexible and diplomatic approach is also called for. We will need to try to secure support from all nations, and the economies and cultures of many nations differ considerably. This calls for special skills in negotiation. This is complicated by the varied, uncertain and changing technological facilities, which we have at our disposal. After a brief and comparative review of these facilities, an outline of the structure of the internationally coordinating organisation is suggested, followed by examples of the different types of issues which are likely to be encountered. These are: reintroducing improved technology to a nation, which has suffered grievous environmental harm from inadequate similar technology such as the Fukushima incident; nations with especially difficult transport problems; nations with perceived overpopulation problems; using UN and other expertise for nations still undergoing development; applying persuasive pressure by peaceful means. Finally, by outlining a large-scale cooperative venture by several nations, the mode of operation of the suggested U.N coordinating body is outlined. The example used is the choice of thorium-based molten-salt reactor technology using both fast and thermal neutron spectra. This appears to be the only choice we have, as other sustainable systems cannot accommodate the size of our problems. The only exception is using the Desertec solar project, which appears to be disadvantaged by being significantly more expensive. Molten-salt reactors would give a 1000-year energy security for industrialised energy-hungry nations on the Far East/Pacific Rim, which is the example considered. This system would use modern actinide burn-up technology to make nuclear-waste disposal a more acceptable proposition. Thus, nuclear waste can become a lowlevel and disposable hazard after only about 300 years of storage. After this storage, the waste becomes a valuable resource due to production of rare transmuted elements.

Nuclear power can be the answer

“…The enormous resulting fireball would have no effect on the underground reactor which would be expected to continue functioning normally. For the nuclear complex (described in the present paper and outlined in the earlier ones [4,5]) it is suggested that the whole complex be declared a registered 'no fly zone'. Anti-aircraft missiles could be programmed to destroy any airborne intruder automatically.…”

“…REACTOR (FSMSR) Whereas the research at Oak Ridge gave sufficient data and experience for designing a thermal MSR [4,5], the design of a fast neutron spectrum FSMSR, without similar previous practical experience, is a much more daunting task. Yet fundamentally the fast reactor is a much more simple device.…”

“…These are: The first five of these are fast neutron spectrum reactors and any one of them could be considered for burning up the long-lived actinides to allow nuclear waste to be disposed of safely. It is reasonable to presume that reactor (5), the FSMSR, would be the safest but it is questionable if it would also be the least expensive. The nearest safe and competitive system is the LFR considered later in section (8.6).…”

Integrated molten-salt nuclear reactor systems for base-load power plants

“…As discussed in an earlier paper [10], the whole family of different MSRs provides a comprehensive and integrated system for providing our base-load energy needs in a fully closed cycle that also deals with the long-term problem of nuclear waste disposal. Thorium fuel reserves alone are sufficient for 1,000 years.…”

Assessing the Competitiveness of Educational Programs for the Global Energy Sector

“…E.g., new techniques are emerging for electricity accumulation and storage, long-range wireless power transfer, remote monitoring and service of energy equipment (Gudmestad and Traa [6], Boothroyd [7]). …”