IAEA initiative on innovative technologies in decommissioning

21 September 2022

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has launched a global initiative aimed at boosting the role of new and emerging technologies in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

Example of a 'digital twin' of a nuclear facility, enabling real-time representation of a changing environment (Image: Sellafield Ltd)

The initiative - a collaborative project among organisations involved in the planning or implementation of decommissioning and associated research activities - aims to provide information on the new and emerging digital tools and technologies used in data management, planning, licensing and implementation of decommissioning. Like many areas of the nuclear sector, decommissioning faces a technological breakthrough involving the use of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), automation and digitalisation.

Three areas of collaboration are being addressed over the course of the project and working groups have been established on digital tool selection for a variety of different decommissioning challenges during planning and implementation; technologies for conversion of unstructured legacy data into a structured format connected to digital model of facility; and emerging technologies for the generation of detailed digital models from Point Cloud data including the use of automated digital tools.

As well as exchanging information on the challenges, benefits and limitations associated with the use of different technologies to address different situations, the groups will apply different approaches to addressing specified challenges and will undertake a detailed analysis of the findings obtained from the use of different approaches and technologies.

"The aim of the project is to work collaboratively, harnessing the expertise of a diverse range of organisations involved in decommissioning to fully realise the potential of new and emerging technologies in this sphere," said Olena Mykolaichuk, Head of the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology. "The project findings will be published in a report in 2025 that will include information on experiences gained from the practical application and case studies from a variety of countries, based on a range of different decommissioning challenge complexity and varying levels of information."

Key issues in decommissioning will be discussed at the International Conference on Nuclear Decommissioning, to be held at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna in May 2023.

According to IAEA projections, between 12% and 25% of the 2020 nuclear electrical generating capacity is expected to be retired by 2030. So far, a total of 203 nuclear power reactors have been shut down for decommissioning globally, with 21 of them fully decommissioned. In addition, more than 150 fuel cycle facilities have been decommissioned, as well as about 450 research reactors.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

3D-printed fuel component installed at Swedish reactor

21 September 2022

Framatome has completed the installation of the first 3D-printed, stainless steel fuel component at Vattenfall's Forsmark nuclear power plant in Sweden. In collaboration with German pump and valve manufacturer KSB, the Atrium 11 upper tie plate grids were designed, manufactured, and installed in Forsmark unit 3 for a multi-year irradiation programme.

Framatome's 3D-printed Atrium 11 upper tie plate grid (Image: Framatome)

Located at the top of the Atrium 11 fuel assembly, the upper tie plate grid is a non-structural weight-bearing component that secures fuel rods and retains larger debris from entering the fuel assembly from the top. Upper tie plate grids are easily inspected, and samples are accessible for qualifying this new manufacturing process for in-reactor use as needed.

During the conventional manufacturing process, upper tie plate grids are laser welded, using stamped comb-like sheets that require additional manufacturing steps and operator oversight.

Framatome said additive manufacturing of the components streamlines the manufacturing process and increases design options for enhanced functionality and improved performance.

"Advancements in the integrity of components manufactured using 3D-printing are revolutionary in the generation of safe, reliable low-carbon energy for long-term operations," said Lionel Gaiffe, senior executive vice president of Framatome's Fuel Business Unit. "We appreciate Vattenfall for opening its doors and providing a steppingstone for future innovations and developments that will replace conventional manufacturing."

"The safe operation of fuel assemblies is key to Vattenfall," said Ella Ekeroth of Vattenfall Nuclear Fuel AB. "Along with this basic principle, our contributions to the development of efficient and reliable manufacturing processes are in the best interest of the entire nuclear industry. The overall goal of these activities is to maintain and further enhance safety and enable economically viable long-term operations."

Framatome's initiative to introduce additive manufacturing to nuclear fuel began in 2015 and is focused on stainless steel and nickel-based alloy fuel assembly components. In 2021, a 3D-printed stainless steel fuel assembly channel fastener created by Framatome in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory was loaded into unit 2 of the Tennessee Valley Authority's Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in Alabama. Framatome fuel experts in France, Germany and the USA developed this technology in close collaboration with customers worldwide.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

UNECE roadmap to net-zero calls for greater use of nuclear energy

21 September 2022

Nuclear energy plays a significant role in scenarios which achieve carbon neutrality in North America, Europe and Central Asia, according to a new report from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). If advanced reactors are successfully deployed to complement large scale nuclear reactors and there is progress in introducing low-carbon hydrogen infrastructure, then the role for nuclear energy is even greater.

Carbon-neutral energy system of the future (Image: UNECE)

The report - titled Carbon Neutrality in the UNECE Region: Technology Interplay under the Carbon Neutrality Concept - builds on the input from international experts and data scientists from across UNECE regions. The publication - the first UN-regional led modelling of the energy system -  identifies a range of technology and policy solutions for the region to attain carbon neutrality by 2050.

The report presents three scenarios: a reference scenario, a base 'carbon neutrality' scenario and a 'carbon neutrality innovation' scenario. The reference scenario presumes no sustainable energy or climate policies and accordingly fails to achieve carbon neutrality. The innovation scenario focuses on the potential benefits of innovation and deployment policies that accelerate the market uptake of innovative technologies. For nuclear power it includes large-scale reactor designs and new small modular reactors (SMRs), and additional energy services beyond electricity, such as hydrogen production.

The study focused on the UNECE region, which includes the countries of Europe, but also countries in North America, Central Asia and Western Asia. They employed the same base assumptions as the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 2 scenario - the so-called 'middle of the road' climate scenario where historical patterns of economic development are continued throughout the 21st century. They did not take account of the consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began well after the project was initiated.

(Image: UNECE)

In the base Carbon Neutrality scenario, nuclear energy essentially doubles its existing generation in the UNECE region by the year 2050. Nuclear energy provides 4400 TWh out of total electricity generation of 22,100 TWh, or about 20% of the total. In the Carbon Neutrality Innovation scenario, with large scale nuclear and SMRs, the amount of generation from nuclear energy approximately triples compared with the present day, with 6235 TWh representing nearly 30% of total electricity generation. This is produced from 874 GWe of installed nuclear capacity, of which 450 GWe is projected to be SMRs.

(Image: UNECE)

(Image: UNECE)

(Image: UNECE)

General conclusions

To attain carbon neutrality, the key takeaways of the report show that the UNECE region must:

⦁ diversify primary and final energy supply with all low- and zero-carbon technologies; 
⦁ accelerate phase-out of unabated fossil fuels; 
⦁ scale-up electrification of all sectors with emphasis on renewable energy and nuclear power; 
⦁ and build capacity to support widespread innovation of low- and zero-carbon technologies such as carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and advanced nuclear power.

The report calls for increased technology transfer and deployment and institutional capacity to plan and drive ambitious transformation of energy systems. According to UNECE, these actions will support buy-in and adoption from all stakeholders and help to build secure, affordable, and carbon-neutral energy systems.

These actions need to start now and maximise the use of all low- and zero-carbon technologies. To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, it is crucial that governments raise awareness about the merits of all low- and zero-carbon technologies, develop policy frameworks in support of carbon neutrality, and finally create a level-playing field to finance a just transition toward carbon-neutral energy systems aligned to the needs of member states.

If the technology development and deployment are delayed in any way, or if a technology is removed from an agenda, the forecast for achieving carbon neutrality will need to be revisited.

"Inaction is a policy choice that will lead to greater, possibly insurmountable, challenges in the future," said UNECE Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova. "Only bold, immediate, and sustained action can decarbonise energy in time to avoid a climate disaster.

"This report is a bleak reminder that increased investment in conventional fossil fuels is delusional when viable low- and zero-carbon technologies exist. Governments must embrace policy frameworks in support of carbon neutrality and create a level-playing field to finance a just transition toward carbon-neutral energy systems."

UNECE views on nuclear

UNECE describes nuclear power as "an essential low-carbon electricity and heat source contributing to carbon neutrality" and that countries which decide to deploy nuclear power "can play an essential role in decarbonising the UNECE energy systems".

The report notes that the push for decarbonisation of energy systems, alongside increased energy prices and improved safety measures are changing attitudes towards nuclear power. This is creating new markets for the penetration of the current large-scale reactors and advanced nuclear power technologies. However policy support is needed to mitigate the financial risk and high capital cost of completing large-scale nuclear power plants and to accelerate the development and deployment of SMRs.

In addition, extending the operation of existing reactors is expected to significantly ease the use and dependency on fossil fuels and the cost of energy without the financial risks and long-term obligations attached to new energy projects.

Concluding the carbon neutrality project

The report is part of the UNECE Carbon Neutrality project - a major UNECE initiative that included a series of technology briefs on low-carbon energy technologies and a state-of-the-art environmental lifecycle assessment on electricity generation options. World Nuclear Association supported the UNECE Carbon Neutrality project and coordinated the nuclear input into the project. All the project results are accessible in the Carbon Neutrality toolkit, a tool designed to support policymakers in making informed decisions towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

King Lee, Vice Chair of the UNECE Group of Experts on Cleaner Electricity Systems and Director of the World Nuclear Association’s Harmony programme, presented at the 18th Session of the UNECE Group of Experts on Cleaner Electricity Systems the findings from the Carbon Neutrality project on the role of nuclear energy for attaining carbon neutrality.

World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León commented: "I welcome the publication of the UNECE Carbon Neutrality toolkit. This provides a bold and pragmatic roadmap to achieving net-zero for Europe, North America,and Central Asia.

"The Carbon Neutrality project has highlighted the important role that nuclear energy must play in the energy transition, a role which only grows when experts start to consider including large-scale reactors and advanced innovative reactors, such as SMRs, as ways to decarbonise sectors beyond electricity, such as heat and hydrogen production."

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

US partnerships boost development of hydrogen economy

23 September 2022

Argonne National Laboratory has teamed up with Constellation Energy Corp to develop carbon-free power generation technologies, including a project focusing on hydrogen production from nuclear power plants, while Bloom Energy and Excel Energy have announced plans for hydrogen production at a nuclear plant in Minnesota. Meanwhile, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has opened applications for a USD7 billion programme to create regional clean hydrogen hubs.

Constellation's Calvert Cliffs plant (Image: US NRC/CCNPPI)

The new Cooperative Research and Development Agreement will see Argonne and Constellation - the USA's largest producer of carbon-free energy with the country's largest nuclear fleet - work together to evaluate trends in the country's energy system and develop technologies for more efficient, carbon-free power generation.

One of the projects supported under the agreement, which runs until October 2028, will focus on the use of hydrogen from nuclear power to store and transmit energy in backup power, transportation and a variety of other applications. Researchers at Argonne are already working with Constellation to assess market demand for hydrogen as well as the environmental and economic impacts of hydrogen production, storage and delivery, the partners said.

"Clean hydrogen produced from carbon-free nuclear has the power to transform difficult-to-decarbonise industries. By combining Constellation's nation-leading carbon-free energy resources with electrolysis technologies and Argonne National Laboratory's technical expertise, we have an opportunity to deliver real world solutions to combat the increasing threats of climate change," said Colleen Wright, Constellation's vice president of corporate strategy.

Mark Petri, grid security and resilience lead at Argonne, said the agreement would help the laboratory align its R&D with the needs of industry while giving industry access to the laboratory's technical capabilities and expertise, and described Constellation as an ideal industry partner. "We can immediately move our projects into field studies, pilots and adoption. We want to make a difference and help the nation solve problems associated with climate change, but we can't do that without industry," he said.

Electrolyser for Prairie Island

On 19 September, Bloom Energy announced plans to install an electrolyser at Xcel Energy's Prairie Island nuclear power plant in Minnesota, which it says will create "immediate and scalable pathways to produce cost-efficient, clean hydrogen".

Bloom's solid oxide-based electrolyser operates at high temperatures to convert water into hydrogen, and will use the high heat and steam produced by the nuclear facility to produce zero-carbon hydrogen more efficiently than low-temperature electrolysis alternatives like polymer electrolyte membrane or alkaline, the company said.
 
Engineering for the 240 kW demonstration is currently underway, with construction expected to begin in late 2023 and power-on expected in early 2024, Bloom said.

Hydrogen hubs

The DOE earlier this year announced plans to develop regional clean hydrogen hubs - H2Hubs - as an initiative under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. H2Hubs will create networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier.

The USD7 billion funding opportunity announced today is part of the larger USD8 billion hydrogen hub programme funded through President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, described by the DOE as one of largest investments in its history. They are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lay the foundation for the clean hydrogen future, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said.

For this initial funding opportunity launch, DOE is aiming to select six to ten hubs. Additional funding opportunities may follow to accelerate and expand the network of clean hydrogen projects.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

'Huge demand for SMRs’ - so what are the key challenges?

21 September 2022

The interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) means that building the industrial capacity to produce the numbers required is just one of the challenges for companies as they turn their visions into reality, World Nuclear Symposium heard.

Rick Springman, left, Jon Ball, centre, with host Fran Scott (Image: World Nuclear Association)

Both Jon Ball, executive vice president market development for GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, and Rick Springman, senior vice president of international projects for Holtec International, set out their aims to have SMRs operational within the next ten years during a panel session on Turning Vision into Reality at the nuclear industry’s gathering in London earlier this month.

Ball said that "really large numbers of reactors are going to be needed to solve both the climate change crisis but also the energy security crisis … massive numbers are needed, and we can debate what’s going to be the right number but we know it’s going to be a lot". He said that when GE Hitachi talks to potential customers about its BWRX-300 SMR "they’re not talking about one or two reactors, it’s ‘we need 10 or 20 of these reactors'".

The scale of demand means there will be pinch points in order to meet the required numbers, Ball said, such as forgings and reactor pressure vessels: "There’s limited capacity today but is it insurmountable? It’s not. We know how to do it, it’s just a matter of building up that capacity and there needs to be a clear demand signal - ultimately these suppliers, these manufacturers, want to see real orders so that they feel comfortable investing in their plants to increase capacity."

Ball added that, because the BWRX-300 is essentially a 10th evolution BWR with the same components, same fuel and same way of performing outages, they are hiring and training up workers for the SMRs - which the company hopes to have operational from 2028 - working on their existing reactors. They have also got virtual reality capacity so people can "walk" through the plant in 3D.

The other area which will have a huge influence on the SMR roll-out was "optimum harmonisation" of regulation, with the example of the US and Canadian regulators cited as an example to be applauded, while, Ball said, it was encouraging to see countries new to nuclear "really reaching in for guidance".

Holtec’s Rick Springman said the company has a "long-term view with a near-term focus to get ready for what we perceive as a huge future market". He said that the company had put its own money in and was fully committed to developing a new breed of "absolutely safe, small module reactors - that's essentially what we've been working on for the last 10 years". He added that its reactors work passively with "all the emergency cooling water that it needs to shut down indefinitely" without the need for off-site power.

He said that the firm currently sees the first commercial operation of an SMR-160 at the Oyster Creek site in the USA by 2030, although that timetable might be accelerated. He stressed that a key development goal had been to ensure it was "operation-friendly - this is an 80-year machine, it has to be operation-friendly" so that people want to use it.

Springman also flagged the challenges of financing new nuclear projects, especially internationally with a first-of-a-kind product. Other industries, he noted, could cover the gap with technology risk insurance.

He said that Holtec expected to eventually need at least four SMR manufacturing industrial sites around the world - each producing around four SMRs a year - to meet demand, with the company "in discussions with a lot of utilities in the US and abroad".

Another key issue, Springman said, was that nuclear energy needed to have a "proper valuation" reflecting that it is "providing something unique that no other technology can provide - 24/7 clean energy". He said that energy market regulators should ensure that the reliability and clean energy offered was suitably reflected in the market.

This issue was also raised by Keith Everhart, from the International Energy Agency, who said their calculations suggested that robust carbon pricing, combined with scarcity pricing would mean that from the energy markets at least four technologies - solar, wind and hydro as well as nuclear - would be able to meet their on-going costs and costs of new investment.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Edmonton previews hydrogen buses at electric vehicle expo

Edmonton and Strathcona County bought the buses as part of the Alberta Zero Emission Hydrogen Transit initiative, a $9.8-million project that aims to road test the technology under Alberta conditions in a bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Author of the article: Hamdi Issawi
Publishing date:Sep 24, 2022 • 

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi is shown the city’s new hydrogen bus by Chad Sadowy, regional sales manager for New Flyer, left, at the Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Expo on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022 in Edmonton. The event is designed to give residents an opportunity to experience zero emission vehicles including battery electric passenger vehicles, hydrogen and electric buses, e-bikes and e-scooters. 

PHOTO BY GREG SOUTHAM /Postmedia

If you’ve ever wondered what exhaust from a hydrogen powered bus tastes like, Strathcona County transit director Wade Coombs boils it down to one word: water.

“It tasted better than some places where you can get it out of the tap,” he said near two such vehicles parked outside the Edmonton Expo Centre on Saturday.

Rather than greenhouse gas, hydrogen fuel cell electric buses release water (and heat). After holding a clear cup to a sputtering tailpipe near one of the buses, Coombs threw back about half an ounce of the wet stuff to prove it.

Powered by electricity generated from hydrogen and oxygen, the two buses were on display for the Edmonton Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Expo this weekend. The City of Edmonton and Strathcona County purchased the vehicles as part of the Alberta Zero Emission Hydrogen Transit initiative, a $9.8-million project that aims to road test the technology under Alberta conditions in a bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change.

Manufactured by New Flyer, the Xcelsior model buses incorporate a Ballard fuel cell electric engine, said Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), which contributed $4.6 million toward the project.

Eddie Robar, manager for Edmonton’s fleet and facility services branch, said the city expects to finalize all safety protocols, training and infrastructure needs for the new buses by the end of the year, and then run a 23-month pilot beginning in the first quarter of 2023.

The shift to electric vehicles, particularly those using hydrogen, will play an important role in the city’s plans to curb its carbon footprint while driving economic growth, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi told Postmedia at the event.

“It will help us transition to a low-carbon economy, and at the same time help unlock billions of dollars of investment in hydrogen in our region,” he said.

ERA said the project will allow the municipalities to prepare proposals for the transit electrification program of the Canadian Infrastructure Bank or similar agencies, while a “positive experience” from the trial can increase demand for hydrogen and support the creation of fuelling stations and a distribution system in the province.

While delivering opening remarks to kick off the event, Sohi said the weekend-long expo — which also features electric cars, bicycles and scooters — offers the general public an opportunity to see the vehicles, test drive them, and learn about their benefits.

“As a former bus driver and a current e-bike owner, I love seeing people discover how cool these vehicles and bikes are,” he told the audience.

According to U.S. Department of Transportation, a zero-emission bus can prevent about 1,690 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over 12 years, which is the equivalent of taking about 27 cars off the road.

The city’s energy transition strategy aims to cut emissions to the tune of 35 per cent (compared to 2005 levels) by 2025, 50 per cent by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions per person by 2050.

Kent Snyder, planning and environment services branch manager for the city, joined Sohi on stage to note that raising awareness around the technology can help Edmonton shift toward achieving those targets.

Currently, about 77 per cent of city residents travel using personal vehicles, and transportation accounts for 30 per cent of Edmonton’s community emissions, Snyder said.

“It’s really important for us to look at how we move around our city, and try to reduce the impact of our daily trips through the city,” he said.

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, right, sits in the driver’s seat of Edmonton’s new hydrogen bus with Chad Sadowy, regional sales manager for New Flyer, at the Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Expo on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Edmonton. 

PHOTO BY GREG SOUTHAM /Postmedia

hissawi@postmedia.com
@hamdiissawi

 Toronto

GO bus drivers in legal strike position by Oct. 1 if union and Metrolinx can't reach deal

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Union receives 'no board' report from province that starts countdown to possible work stoppage

Shawn Jeffords · CBC News · Posted: Sep 25, 2022 

GO Transit bus drivers and other staff are a step closer to going on strike after months of talks with Metrolinx have failed to produce a new contract.  (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

The union representing GO Transit's bus drivers says it has taken a formal step toward striking, after months of talks with Metrolinx have failed to produce a new contract. 

The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1587, which represents 2,200 workers at the GO Transit, said it has received what's known as a "no board" report from Ontario's Ministry of Labour. The report starts the formal countdown to a possible labour disruption, putting workers in the legal position to strike at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1.

Rob Cormier, the president of the ATU local, said in spite of being in a legal strike position at the end of the month, the union has not set Oct. 1 as its strike date. It's still hopeful job action can be avoided, he said.

"The last thing we want to do is disrupt service," Cormier said. "We're working hard to try to get some sort of resolution."

The last thing we want to do is disrupt service.- ATU 1587 Local President Rob Cormier

The union represents GO Transit bus operators, station attendants, plant and fleet maintenance workers, transit safety officers, and administrative staff. A potential labour dispute would not impact GO's rail network as train operators are represented by a different union. 

ATU 1587 and Metrolinx, the agency that runs GO Transit, began contract talks in April. The current collective bargaining agreement for the workers expired June 1. 

Cormier said they have met 15 times in recent months to hammer out a new deal. After those talks failed to produce an agreement, the ATU received a strike mandate from workers.

Cormier said key issues surrounding job security remain outstanding. The union has repeatedly asked for language that protects jobs from being contracted out, but Metrolinx has refused to include that, he added.

"Through the pandemic, our people have gone out there and risked their lives," he said. "We've seen more and more jobs that we might have done, not being done by us anymore — it's contractors. So we're just trying to secure a future."

• Metrolinx approves new fine regime for fare evasion on GO Transit

Cormier said the Ontario government's controversial wage constraint legislation, Bill 124, has also had a negative impact on the contract talks. The law, which holds all public sector wage increases to one per cent a year, has hurt workers who are struggling to keep up with inflation and a rapidly increasing cost of living, Cormier said.

Cormier said the union has talks set with Metrolinx on Sept. 26 and Oct. 3. The outcome of those negotiations will help the union decide next steps, he added.

Metrolinx said in a statement it is continuing to negotiate with the ATU 1587 and remains hopeful an agreement will be reached.

"As these conversations continue, we want to assure our customers that GO Bus services are continuing to operate as scheduled."

Quebec's Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux becomes world chess champion

 

Updated Sept. 20, 2022

A young Montrealer was crowned world chess champion in the under-18 age group this week. Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux could become the first Quebecer and the second Canadian to win a world title, says the Quebec Chess Federation.

Back from the resort town of Mamaia, Romania, where the tournament was held from September 5 to 17, Rodrigue-Lemieux admitted that being world champion is something "crazy" that he didn't really expect.

The Montrealer scored 9 out of 11 points, beating opponents from 54 countries. He won seven games and had four draws, which counted for 1/2 point. He beat Kazakh Kazybek Nogerbek, who finished second and had a draw with German Marius Fromm, who finished third.

With the victory, Rodrigue-Lemieux obtained his first "grandmaster" standard at the age of 18, the highest title a chess player can achieve. He will need two more standards -- victories at the world championships, for example -- to earn it.

"He could become the youngest Quebecer in history to earn the title of grandmaster," said Richard Bérubé, general manager of the Quebec Chess Federation (QCF).

Some 1,200 chess players are international grandmasters, according to the FQE, including Quebecers Kevin Spragget, Pascal Charbonneau and Thomas Roussel-Roozmon, who received the title at the age of 22.

VICTORIES

Rodrigue-Lemieux said he was aiming for a top five or possibly top three finish at the World Youth Chess Championships, having previously won the Canadian Championship, held in Hamilton, Ontario, in July.

That win allowed him to represent Canada in Romania.

However, this was not his first time competing at the world championships. Back in 2013, he took part in the one held in the United Arab Emirates, "one of the best experiences of my life," Rodrigue-Lemieux said.

"I started playing (chess) in extracurricular classes when I was in elementary school, and I got hooked right away," he said. "And, soon, I was playing in some pretty big tournaments."

Turning 18 this year, this was his last opportunity to compete in the youth championships. However, he is already taking part in tournaments open to all ages.

A student at Collège de Maisonneuve studying humanities, with a major in law, Rodrigue-Lemieux wishes to continue his studies but has not ruled out a career in chess.

"Clearly, I want to go to university, but chess will also be part of my future," he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 18, 2022.

Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux de Montréal a remporté le Championnat du monde des échecs pour les moins de 18 ans, à Mamaia, en Roumanie, le 16 septembre 2022.

 THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux

Tesla to use thousands of its humanoid Bot robots in its factories

September 24, 2022 Richard Walker 

Tesla is fond of using its own products in its operations. The company has been using the soon-to-be-released Tesla Semi electric trucks to haul parts between its plants.

When the Tesla Bot is ready, the EV maker plans to employ thousands of them within its factories.

Tesla’s plans for the Optimus humanoid robot were revealed via a job posting. The company is constantly recruiting for the robot team. Production could begin next year.

As AI Day for this year draws near, more facts are coming in concerning the robot. CEO Elon Musk has revealed the project has priority within the company.

Members of the Autopilot team were borrowed as Tesla races to have a prototype on stage on September 30th.

Musk has complained that the business world does not realize what the Tesla Bot could mean for manufacturing. However, the EV maker will demonstrate it by using them to support its own production.

The robot will initially be used for doing simple repetitive tasks. Musk believes that many people will buy the robot for their grandparents.

The job listing reads in part, “Tesla is on a path to build humanoid bi-pedal robots at scale to automate repetitive and boring tasks. Core to the Tesla Bot, the motion planning stack presents a unique opportunity to work on state-of-the-art algorithms for motion planning and navigation, culminating in their deployment to real-world production applications. Our motion planning software engineers develop and own this stack from inception to deployment. Most importantly, you will see your work repeatedly shipped to and utilized by thousands of Humanoid Robots within our factories.” (via Electrek)