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88 comments on Nigeria: A Closer Look at "Above Ground Factors"

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Buckler on June 22, 2007 - 2:59pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

The root problem is the lack of a low cost source of energy (obviously). Concerning this, there are a series of articles over at EnergyPulse (one of the most respected websites for utility articles) by Dr John K Sutherland that state that new generation breeder reactors
re-enrich (reprocess) uranium as they use it -- so the resource base of uranium is over 100 years (Sutherland estimates 100,000 years here): http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=374

All articles by John Sutherland and bio: http://www.energypulse.net/centers/author.cfm?at_id=283

From reading briefly on breeder reactors it seems to fit -- but I am not a nuclear expert. Does anyone konw more about Breeder reactors and supply of uranium (I know the traditional estimate of supply is only 50 or so years but breeder reactors propose to increase supply
dramatically).

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wizofaus on June 22, 2007 - 8:41pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

So far no-one's managed to keep a breeder reactor running long enough for it to actually start "breeding" in significant quantities (AIUI, all reactors breed to some degree), for various commercial and safety reasons, but there are no serious technical limitations that I'm aware of. I've never heard 100,000 years though. Personally I think a couple of hundred would be more than enough time for us to develop something else. But note that FBRs aren't particular cheap - indeed wind power is significantly cheaper.

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