Decouple

James Krellenstein joins me to discuss the rationale underlying small modular reactors and in particular the challenges of getting novel reactor concepts from the experimental stage to reliable commercial operation.

Jacopo Buongiorno joins me to discuss the cost drivers of nuclear and how we can drive them down. For a deeper dive check out this MIT study that Jacopo led. studyhttps://energy.mit.edu/research/future-nuclear-energy-carbon-constrained-world/

Dr Keefer’s Testimony at the House of Commons Natural Resources Committee on what Canada can learn from the Inflation Reduction Act’s “good union jobs” provisions. In the words of NYT labour reporter Noam Scheiber “The green economy is shaping up to look less like the industrial workplace that lifted workers into the middle class in the 20th century and more like an Amazon warehouse with grueling work schedules, few unions, middling wages and limited benefits.” Dr. Keefer outlines the problem and prescribes a solution: Nuclear Energy

Muckraking physicist and data scientist Aidan Morrison has thrown doubt on the oft repeated mantra in Australia that wind and solar are the lowest cost option for a clean energy transition. He discovered that the modelling used to justify these claims leaves out the massive investments in storage and transmission required to balance the system treating them as sunk costs. See Aidan’s own excellent video deep diving the topic here. https://youtu.be/W-GwnPWTwmU?si=VmM98aSuYGC2Z32o

Dr. Keefer’s speech at Minerals Week in Australia sharing the story of Ontario’s coal phaseout & the decarbonization of its electricity grid.

Enhanced geothermal has been a scientific white whale since the 1970’s but a recent breakthrough announcement is causing waves. Is Baseload cool again? Will enhanced geothermal eat nuclear’s lunch or for that matter renewable’s lunch? The potential to unlock the energy potential of hot dry rocks by leveraging hydraulic fracturing opens up a vast geography for exploitation as 98% of worlds geothermal resources are made up of these geologic formations.

As electricity demands increase Quebec is looking into refurbishing its lone mothballed CANDU reactor Gentilly-2. Mark Nelson joins us to discuss.

Jigar Shah, Director of the US Department of Energy Loan Programs Office, discusses the future of nuclear power in the USA. They explore growing up near a nuclear station, the role of the Loan Programs Office in the industry, comparing costs and models of nuclear power plants in the US and Korea, and the need for nuclear energy to meet energy demands. Funding options, transitioning to clean energy sources, and advanced geothermal technology are also discussed.

In this discussion, Charles Oppenheimer, grandson of J. Robert Oppenheimer and a serial software entrepreneur, dives into his family's legacy and his transition to advocating for nuclear energy. He shares personal anecdotes about growing up on a New Mexico ranch and contrasts his grandfather's historical significance against modern interpretations seen in film. The conversation expands to the challenges of international cooperation in technology and the importance of shared-risk governance, particularly in energy projects to foster peace.

Physicist James Krellenstein returns for a part two to talk about America’s nuclear future.