It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Sunday, February 11, 2024
New Study Questions LNG as a "Bridge Fuel" in Decarbonization
President Joe Biden announced a pause on new LNG export licenses to assess their impact on domestic energy security, consumer costs, and the environment.
Recent studies and scientific letters argue that LNG may not be as clean as previously thought, potentially being worse for the climate than coal when considering the full lifecycle of its production and methane emissions.
The pause on LNG exports is contentious, with some arguing it will hinder global energy demands and environmental progress, while others see it as a necessary step towards cleaner energy alternatives.
For years, the petroleum industry has been trying to push liquefied natural gas as a clean energy source, or at least a cleaner energy source than other fossil fuels, touting its role as a stepping stone or ‘bridge fuel’ between higher-emissions fuels and clean energy in the decarbonization transition. But recent research shows that LNG may not always be cleaner than coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel.
The debate over whether LNG is in reality a cleaner alternative to other fossil fuels has been reengaged in recent months as the Biden administration has announced that it will pause approvals of new licenses to export liquefied natural gas. Last Friday, President Joe Biden announced that during this freeze the United States Department of Energy will review and assess whether the nation’s considerable LNG exports are “undermining domestic energy security, raising consumer costs and damaging the environment.”
This pause will have widespread implications for global energy markets, as the United States was the single biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas in the world in 2023. According to LSEG data, full year exports from the U.S. rose 14.7% to 88.9 million metric tons (MT), but from 77.5 million metric tons in 2022.
As the Biden administration's decision to pause new approvals makes waves around global energy markets, it’s also caused a major resurgence of the natural gas debate in scientific circles. We now know that natural gas is much more harmful for the environment than initially thought, but there is widespread disagreement about to what extent, and whether pausing exports is actually the right move for the environment.
In December 2023, 170 climate scientists signed onto a letter petitioning President Joe Biden to reject all plans to build more LNG export terminals going forward, and especially along the Gulf of Mexico. Their argument was based on the finding that, in stark contrast to the dominant energy transition narrative, liquefied gas is actually “at least 24 percent worse for the climate than coal.” This figure comes from a forthcoming Cornell University study (which has not yet been peer reviewed).
The issue is not really the consumption of the natural gas itself, but emissions associated with the life cycle of liquefied natural gas production. The Cornell University figure comes from figuring in the carbon dioxide emissions that result from the liquefying process, which requires chilling natural gas to extremely cold temperatures, an energy-intensive ordeal.
Another major issue is the methane that is released during the extraction of natural gas. Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. While it breaks up much more quickly in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, it is 80 times more potent at warming than CO2 over a 20-year period. And peer–reviewed studies (like this one, this one, and this one) are increasingly indicating that natural gas produces much, much more methane over its life cycle than previously thought.
But other experts contend that these figures, while peer-reviewed, are politically motivated and the figures are inflated or skewed to tell a certain narrative that’s not necessarily consistent with reality. “It's just extremely frustrating to even deal with claims like this, because we talk about settled science,” says Dan Byers, vice president of policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he works on environmental issues in a recent Scientific American report. “The notion that, you know, LNG and natural gas reduce emissions by displacing coal is completely well established. So it feels like we’ve got like a flat earth situation going on with these claims.”
A recent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal goes as far as to contend that the Biden administration’s new LNG export pause will actually harm the environment more than it helps. In the op-ed Chris Barnard, president of the American Conservation Coalition, argues that if the United States takes a step back from meeting global energy demands, other energy powers including Russia and China will only be too happy to fill those shoes. He argues that the result will be a more volatile geopolitical landscape as well as an increase of more carbon-intensive energy sources on the market.
As usual, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. But the one thing that’s certain is that regardless of whether coal or LNG is cleaner, clean energy buildout will always be the cleanest. Of course, LNG will continue to have a role in stabilizing, and yes, bridging a smooth energy transition. But the quicker we can move away from it, the better.
Energy Intelligence: interest in long-term LNG projects remains robust.
Energy Intelligence: we expect the LNG momentum to continue under the next government regardless of who wins the November presidential elections due to Biden’s commitment to U.S. allies and Trump’s pursuit of higher fossil fuel production.
WoodMackenzie: expect lower LNG prices in 2024.
Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden paused new licenses for LNG export projects still in the planning pipeline to give his administration time to reassess whether additional infrastructure is in the “public interest” in terms of the country’s energy security and climate goals.
The administration has highlighted lingering fears that shipping large volumes of U.S. gas overseas could erode America’s competitive advantage of cheap energy critical for energy-intensive industries such as steelmaking and petrochemicals and also seeks to address concerns by environmental activists who have argued that the entire LNG manufacturing, delivery and consumption cycle has a much higher carbon footprint than currently touted.
Not surprisingly, the decision has irked Republican lawmakers and rattled U.S. allies, especially in Europe due to the continent’s heavy reliance on American gas. With exports averaging 11.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) during the first half of 2023, the U.S. is the world’s largest LNG exporter, ~70% of exports going to Europe and much of the balance going to Asia.
Currently, the U.S. has seven operating terminals capable of producing as much as 87 million tonnes of LNG a year--enough to satisfy the needs of Germany and France. Five more projects--already approved and under construction--will add another 63 million tonnes of capacity by 2028.
Scores of Big Oil companies including Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:XOM), Chevron Corp. (NYSE:CVX), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) and Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET) will potentially be impacted by the LNG freeze after they signed long-term supply deals with Venture Global LNG due to the company’sCalcasieu Pass 2 plant project. The project is part of a proposed 20 mtpa expansion of Venture Global’s existing Louisiana facility.
But here’s the good news for gas bulls: Whereas proposed LNG projects waiting for permits will probably now have to wait until 2025 due to the November elections, Energy Intelligence has reported that interest in long-term LNG projects remains robust. Earlier, energy Intel had provided estimates that around 69 million tons per year of LNG would reach Final Investment Decision (FID) in the current year, potentially the most significant year for FIDs since 2019, when more than 70 million tons/yr was sanctioned.
The energy agency says momentum remains strong following more than 40 million tons/yr in foundation supply agreements over the last two years, supporting projects that include Commonwealth, CP2 in North America, Delfin and Saguaro. The new approvals stand to increase capacity under construction by 40% and extend the next supply wave to 2028-29.
Obviously, the LNG freeze means it’s highly unlikely that Energy Intel’s forecast will be met in the current year. However, we expect the LNG momentum to continue under the next government regardless of who wins the November presidential elections due to Biden’s commitment to U.S. allies and Trump’s pursuit of higher fossil fuel production with the former president vowing to restart approvals on his “very first day back”.
“The decision will not affect our forecast for U.S. LNG exports out to 2028, but after that it could affect the trajectory and pace of the sector’s growth and have potential to tighten the market in the long run,” Giles Farrer, head of gas and LNG asset research at Wood Mackenzie, has told the Financial Times.
That said, the LNG hiatus could complicate matters if it carries on for too long. LNG buyers would be forced to look elsewhere while buyers would struggle to get financing to reach the critical final investment decisions without buyers if the government drags its feet.
Source: Energy Intel
Source: Y-Charts
Gas Prices Lag
Back in 2022, Europe’s key front-month Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) rocketed to an all-time high of €340 per megawatt-hour while U.S. Henry Hub gas prices hit a 15-year high of $9.24 per MMBtu around the same time European gas peaked as the continent scrambled for new gas supplies after it ditched Russian gas. Unfortunately, booming production coupled with mild weather has badly tanked gas prices, with TFF prices falling to below €30 per megawatt-hour, the lowest level since August 4th, while Henry Hub gas has now sunk to $2.02/MMBtu.
Wall Street is predicting more pain in natural gas and LNG markets in the current year: in its report dubbed ‘Global Gas and LNG: 5 things to look out for in 2024’, Wood Mackenzie has forecast that mild Northern Hemisphere winter coupled with high storage levels in Europe will keep global gas prices subdued in 2024.
“[Wood Mackenzie] has been forecasting lower 2024 prices for much of last year, especially compared to forward curves, amid weak market fundamental expectations. Global LNG supply growth will remain limited at 14 million, but with Asian LNG demand still weak, competition for LNG is unlikely to heat up,” Massimo Di Odoardo, Vice President of Gas Research at Wood Mackenzie, has said.
By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com
40 YR OLD SCI-FI-TEK
New world record set in JET's final fusion experiments
09 February 2024
The Joint European Torus (JET) produced the largest amount of energy achieved in a fusion experiment during its final round of deuterium-tritium experiments, breaking its own record set in 2021.
The interior of JET's vessel (Image: UKAEA)
High fusion power was consistently produced for 5 seconds during JET's final deuterium-tritium experiments resulting in a ground-breaking record of 69 megajoules, using only 0.2 milligrams of fuel, the EUROfusion consortium and UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) announced. This exceeded the previous world record it set in 2021, when it produced 59 megajoules over 5 seconds.
The tokamak's final experiments using deuterium and tritium fuel were conducted over seven weeks from August to October last year, ahead of its retirement following its final pulse in December.
JET, which is in Culham, near Oxford in the UK, was a European project built and used collaboratively by European researchers. It is now owned, and in recent years has been operated by, the UKAEA, and used by scientists from 28 European countries to conduct research into the potential for carbon-free fusion energy in the future through work coordinated by the EUROfusion consortium. The tokamak's first deuterium-tritium experiments took place in 1997.
"This world record is actually a by-product. It was not actively planned, but we were hoping for it," Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics scientist Athina Kappatou, one of nine Task Force Leaders at JET, said. "This experimental campaign was mainly about achieving the different conditions necessary for a future power plant and thus testing realistic scenarios. One positive aspect, however, was that the experiments from two years ago could also be successfully reproduced and even surpassed."
JET was a tokamak fusion system with a doughnut-shaped vacuum chamber where, under the influence of extreme heat and pressure, gaseous hydrogen fuel becomes a plasma. The charged particles of the plasma can be shaped and controlled by massive magnetic coils placed around the vessel to confine the hot plasma away from the vessel walls. It was the only tokamak fusion machine in operation capable of handling tritium fuel, and was a key device in preparations for the multinational ITER fusion research project which is currently under construction in southern France.
As well as ITER, and the electricity-generating demonstration plant known as DEMO that is planned to be its successor, JET's findings also have implications for projects such as the UK's Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (or STEP) prototype power plant and other fusion projects around the world.
"Our successful demonstration of operational scenarios for future fusion machines like ITER and DEMO, validated by the new energy record, instil greater confidence in the development of fusion energy," said EUROfusion Programme Manager Ambrogio Fasoli. "Beyond setting a new record, we achieved things we've never done before and deepened our understanding of fusion physics."
"JET's final fusion experiment is a fitting swansong after all the groundbreaking work that has gone into the project since 1983. We are closer to fusion energy than ever before thanks to the international team of scientists and engineers in Oxfordshire," said UK Minister for Nuclear and Networks Andrew Bowie.
The UK government's Fusion Futures programme has committed to invest GBP650 million (USD820 million in research and facilities to cement its position as a global fusion hub, Bowie added.
"JET has operated as close to powerplant conditions as is possible with today’s facilities, and its legacy will be pervasive in all future powerplants. It has a critical role in bringing us closer to a safe and sustainable future," UKAEA CEO Ian Chapman said.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News
Fusion Breakthrough Could Spark AI and Quantum Computing Boom
NIF researchers achieved a nuclear fusion reaction that created more energy output than input, a historic first in energy research.
Peer review confirms the breakthrough, opening the door for developing practical fusion reactors capable of providing near-unlimited energy.
The availability of fusion energy could significantly accelerate progress in energy-intensive technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, potentially overcoming current energy bottlenecks.
A recent physics breakthrough that could serve as a proof-of-concept for the development of nuclear fusion reactors capable of producing near-unlimited energy has finally passed its official peer-review successfully.
On Dec. 5, 2022, a team of researchers at the United States National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California recorded data indicating that it had achieved a nuclear fusion reaction that created more energy than it took to produce. The reported results were the first of their kind.
In physics, this is sometimes colloquially referred to as a “free lunch,” meaning a nuclear fusion reactor could one day be scaled to the point where it is capable of producing near-unlimited energy.
If the NIF team’s reported results were correct, their breakthrough research could serve as a platform for the future technology that might help us eliminate our dependence on carbon energy and supercharge fields where energy scarcity presents as a roadblock, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing.
But, as science communicator Carl Sagan put it, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” News of the breakthrough was taken with both a measure of optimism and a grain of salt by the physics community. The general consensus, at the time, was that people should wait until peer review before shouting “eureka!” at the findings.
Eureka time?
The peer review is in, and according to a report in the APA Physics journal, multiple teams have confirmed and replicated the results.
Recreating the experiment was no easy feat. To achieve the original fusion reaction, NIF scientists used a technique called inertial confinement fusion. This form of fusion involves bombarding heavy hydrogen atoms with nearly 200 lasers, causing them to superheat and, ultimately, fuse at pressures greater than those found within the sun.
While this early work has only just been confirmed through peer review, the NIF device could serve as a platform by which practical fusion reactors can be built. It’s currently too soon to predict when a viable fusion reactor might be achieved.
Next-generation energy
Once realized, however, the free availability of so-called next-generation energy sources could supercharge the engineering and development of adjacent technologies such as AI and quantum computing.
Fields such as those, where energy bottlenecks at play are perceived to be the next great hurdle to scale, could see generational leaps in progress once those roadblocks are removed.
As Cointelegraph recently reported, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said there’s no way to build the AI systems of the future until there’s a fusion energy breakthrough. It’s possible that this work from the NIF team could be the first confirmed step toward that breakthrough technology
OpenAI might be in the best position to understand the energy requirements needed to train systems such as ChatGPT, but it bears mention that Altman is personally invested in a private company working on fusion.
By Zerohedge.com
SMRs economically feasible in Puerto Rico, study finds
08 February 2024
The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico is favourably positioned for the introduction of advanced micro and small modular reactors, according to an economic study conducted by Puerto Rican-led not-for-profit organisation the Nuclear Alternative Project (NAP).
(Image: NAP)
Puerto Rico - officially, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico - is an unincorporated territory of the USA and is located in the northeastern Caribbean. Puerto Rico currently generates 98% of its electricity from imported fossil fuels, and its power plants, built in the late 1960s, experience outage rates 12 times higher than the US average. Within the next decade, Puerto Rico proposes a transition from a centralised system dependent on fossil fuels to a distributed system centred on clean energy. Its legislature in 2018 passed a bill calling for an investigation into the possibility of building nuclear power plants on the island, which suffered widespread outages following Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Announcing the publication of its latest report - titled Advanced Small Nuclear in Puerto Rico - Economic Study - NAP said: "This report encompasses a wide array of aspects surrounding Puerto Rico's economy and energy sector. We explore market conditions and their performance based on key energy-economic indicators, and socio-economic implications to construct a holistic understanding of the energy landscape associated with potential developments of advanced small nuclear power plants in Puerto Rico."
NAP said the key findings of the study "encompass various facets, including national energy demand, micro and small modular reactor (SMR) energy demand, energy supply, physical infrastructure, climate change, and financial and economic sufficiency".
The study found that real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in Puerto Rico is about USD32,000 per year, ranking it 19th among the 65 countries compared, "surpassing 17 countries with robust nuclear energy developments or policy support, such as the Slovak Republic, Turkey, Romania, Russia, Bulgaria, and Argentina".
With regards to Puerto Rico's energy consumption per capita, over the past 10 years there has been a 1.8% decline in the annual average growth. However, the report notes that the current level is higher than countries with strong support for nuclear, like Ukraine, Turkey, Argentina, Romania, Brazil and Mexico.
The island also has aging energy infrastructure, with an average lifetime of around 43 years. Four of its power plants, with a combined capacity of 3600 MWe, were scheduled to be retired in 2023 but this did not happen.
"When analysing the economic conditions of Puerto Rico, it becomes evident that a strong industrial sector, accounting for 51% of the total GDP, coupled with a high level of real GDP per capita, approximately USD32,000 per year, positions the country favourably for the introduction of advanced micro and small nuclear reactors," the report says.
"The significant dependency on fuel imports, amounting to around USD1.5 billion in 2021, presents a considerable challenge for Puerto Rico. By developing renewable energy sources, which currently represent 7% of the energy infrastructure and generate around 10% of the total electricity, advanced nuclear reactors could play a pivotal role in diversifying the energy mix.
"In conclusion, while micro and small nuclear reactors may not always appear as the most cost-effective solution in the short term, a value-based approach prompts us to consider their broader benefits. By focusing on the flexibility, reliability and environmental advantages they bring, we recognise that their worth extends far beyond initial construction costs. Embracing a value-based perspective allows to see these reactors not as expensive burdens, but as valuable assets in the transition to a more sustainable and resilient energy future."
NAP was founded in 2016 by Puerto Rican engineers in the US nuclear industry to inform and advocate for SMRs and microreactors in Puerto Rico.
A preliminary feasibility study published by NAP in May 2020 concluded that advanced nuclear reactors can meet Puerto Rico's unique energy needs by complementing renewable sources with zero-emission electricity resilient to extreme natural events. The study was funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE).
In November 2021, DOE awarded USD1.6 million in funding to NAP to study the potential siting of small reactors in Puerto Rico. NAP has identified two potential sites on the island, based on US Nuclear Regulatory Commission criteria.
Preparatory work stepped up for Russia's first land-based SMR
09 February 2024
Construction of worker camps and a new road to the site is under way for the Yakutia small modular reactor project, with Rosenergoatom officially designated as the operating organisation by parent company Rosatom.
How the SMR could look (Image: Rosatom)
The small modular reactor (SMR) is a water-cooled RITM-200N 55 MW reactor that has been adapted from the RITM-200 series used to power Russia's latest fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers. It will be built near Ust-Kuyga in Yakutia (also known as Sakha) in Russia's Arctic north, with the aim of commissioning in 2028.
Nuclear regulator Rostekhnadzor granted the construction licence in April 2023. In an update on progress Rosatom said "preparatory work ... is proceeding at full tilt: the building of the first construction camp for 250 persons has been completed; the first stage construction of the second camp for 683 persons has commenced and is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024". Construction of a new 12 kilometre stretch of road linking Ust-Kuyga and the SMR site has started, it added, as well as other construction base facilities, and 9,500 tonnes of cargo is scheduled to be delivered om the next few months.
The aim of the plant is "to provide a clean, cost-effective and stable source of energy to the remote Arctic territories of Yakutia with a decentralised energy supply. The electric power of the station will be at least 55 MW, the service life of non-replaceable equipment will be up to 60 years".
Although it is planned to be the first land-based SMR in Russia, the country has plans for a widespread roll-out of small reactors in the year ahead - it says its goal is to have up to 20% of the global market for small and micro modular reactors. Its estimate is that they will number in the hundreds in the coming years.
Within Rosatom's structure, with the SMR, Rosenergoatom acts as the technical customer and operating organisation, and Rusatom Overseas as the developer.
CNEN and Eletronuclear discuss Brazilian nuclear programme
09 February 2024
The presidents of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), Francisco Rondinelli, and Eletronuclear, Raul Lycurgo Leite, covered Angra 3's prospects for 2029 completion, domestic fuel supply, the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor and site selection for the radioactive waste-focused Nuclear Technology Centre (CENTENA) in their talks.
Brazil currently has two units at Angra (Image: Eletronuclear)
Rondinelli said the meeting “represents a significant step in consolidating cooperation between CNEN and Eletronuclear, reaffirming the joint commitment to the safe and sustainable development of the nuclear sector in Brazil". He gave an update on the negotiations relating to CENTENA which will be a disposal facility for radioactive waste, with operational support buildings and research and technological facilities for things such as nuclear medicine.
Leite said that the supply of nuclear fuel "adding value to Brazilian uranium, could be the main immediate market achievement in the short term".
They agreed on the need for a fresh Brazilian nuclear programme, with Rondinelli indicating the process of developing it would be outlined after June's 5th National Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation.
Their meeting came a week after representatives from Eletronuclear and Empresa Brasileira de Participações em Energia Nuclear e Binacional (ENBpar) met with regional government figures to discuss strategic projects for the company, including the life extension project for Angra 1 as well as completion of Angra 3.
According to Eletronuclear they also discussed the possibility of a tax incentive at the state level for the nuclear sector, as had been done from 2011 to 2017 with federal taxes, saying "the tax incentive could improve Eletronuclear's cash flow, an essential measure for the company's long-term sustainability. It is also noteworthy that the state government can be a strong ally to support the extension of the useful life of Angra 1 and the advancement of Angra 3".
Brazil currently has two reactors - Angra 1 and Angra 2 - which generate about 3% of the country’s electricity. Work on the Angra 3 project - to feature a Siemens/KWU 1405 MW pressurised water reactor - began in 1984 but was suspended two years later, before construction began. The scheme was resurrected in 2006, with first concrete in 2010. But, amid a corruption probe into government contracts, construction of the unit was halted for a second time in 2015, when it was 65% complete. It resumed again in November 2022 - at the time of the project’s revitalisation, Eletronuclear’s aim was to start operations by the end of 2026.
Brazil also began a process to identify sites for new nuclear power plants in 2022. The country has historically relied on hydro for as much as 80% of its electricity but changes in rainfall patterns produced droughts which reduced this to 65% by 2018. Brazil’s National Energy Plan to 2050 says the country aims to add 10 GW of nuclear capacity in the next 30 years.
USA's Project Phoenix to support Slovenia SMR study
08 February 2024
The US State Department's Project Phoenix aims to help countries transition from coal to small modular reactors (SMRs). Slovenia had applied to take part, and has now been selected to receive advisory and technical services as part of the programme.
(Photo: Ukraine's Embassy in the USA)
Project Phoenix was announced by US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry (pictured above) at the COP27 climate conference in 2022 and aims to support energy security and climate goals by creating pathways for coal-to-SMR power plant conversions while retaining local jobs through workforce retraining. The first recipients, announced in September last year, were the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia.
In a letter announcing the award to Slovenia, State Department assistant secretary C S Eliot Kang, said there had been many "excellent applications" and Slovenia's selection "is testament to the high quality of the proposal". Sargent & Lundy are the implementing partner for the programme, and they will be working with Slovenian stakeholders to identify priority project areas.
He added: "Based on discussions between your government and Sargent & Lundy it is understood that you desire to use the services provided under Project Phoenix to facilitate your government's completion of a pre-feasibility study for potential future SMR deployment ... the result of this assessment will be a comparison of vendor technology capabilities to the goals and priorities" agreed. It could also include compiling information to aid assessment of costs and economic benefits of SMR facility construction and operations in the country.
Tina Seršen, Slovenia's Minister of Environment, Climate and Energy, said: "Participation in the Phoenix project gives Slovenia the opportunity to fulfill the commitments of the National Energy and Climate Plan, which, among other things, foresees that we will study the possibilities of introducing new nuclear technologies. The new nuclear technologies mainly include the technologies of small and advanced modular reactors which are the subject of the consulting and technical assistance of the Phoenix project. Recently, this technology has been intensively developed all over the world, and we are definitely interested in the possibilities of its use in Slovenia as well."
The application was prepared with the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy as coordinator. It said that the aim was to complete the project within a year.
Slovenia already has plans to build a new nuclear power plant - the JEK2 project - with up to 2400 MW capacity next to its existing nuclear power plant, Krško, a 696 MWe pressurised water reactor which generates about one-third of the country's electricity and which is co-owned by neighbouring Croatia. A referendum has been pledged to take place, probably later this year, to ensure public backing for that plan, and more new nuclear in general.
TRIGA International begins fabricating MARVEL fuel
08 February 2024
The Framatome-General Atomics joint venture has begun fabricating the fuel for the US Department of Energy's (DOE) MARVEL microreactor, with delivery of the first shipment of fuel expected in spring 2025.
A rendering of the MARVEL microreactor (Image: INL)
MARVEL - a sodium-potassium-cooled microreactor designed to generate 85 KW of thermal energy - is to be built inside the Transient Reactor Test Facility at Idaho National Laboratory where it will be used to advance new reactor technologies. It will be one of the first new reactors to be built at the lab in more than four decades, and is expected to be online in 2027, with future plans to connect it to a microgrid.
The fuel the reactor will use is similar to the uranium-zirconium hydride fuel used in the TRIGA pool-type research reactors that are in operation at various universities around the world. TRIGA International is the only supplier of fuel for those reactors.
John Jackson, the national technical director for DOE's microreactor programme, said securing the fuel for the MARVEL project addressed a primary technical challenge. "The initiation of fuel fabrication represents another tangible step toward making this exciting test platform a reality," he said.
TRIGA International was awarded a contract worth about USD8.4 million late last year to produce 37 fuel elements for the MARVEL project. It started the fabrication process at its facility in Romans, France, late last month, the DOE said.
"Securing the fuel for the MARVEL microreactor project addresses a primary technical challenge,” said John Jackson, the national technical director for DOE's microreactor programme. "The initiation of fuel fabrication represents another tangible step toward making this exciting test platform a reality."
A preliminary safety analysis report for MARVEL will be submitted for review later this year as part of the DOE authorisation process, and tests are also under way on a full-scale, non-electric prototype of the reactor - the primary coolant apparatus test, or PCAT - to provide data on the system’s coolant flow and power generation to ensure the reactor will perform as expected. PCAT has been installed at Creative Engineers Inc's manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania.
Agreement signed for planned UK fleet of AP300 reactors
08 February 2024
Westinghouse has signed an agreement with Community Nuclear Power Limited (CNP) for the construction of four AP300 small modular reactors (SMRs) in the North Teesside region of northeast England. It would be the UK's first privately-financed SMR fleet.
How the AP300 might look (Image: Westinghouse)
CNP - formed in September 2022 - is working with strategic partners, including Jacobs and Interpath Advisory, to develop a fully licensed site for the project, with a target of 2027. The project is being privately funded.
"The component parts and agreements needed to make this ground-breaking proposition happen - land, capability, technology, private capital funding, and community demand - are in place," CNP said. "This is the first privately funded project deploying SMRs anywhere in Europe, and our goal is to be generating clean energy with in ten years' time.
"There is mature market-led demand in Teesside for clean, reliable energy - in this instance a programme to build a specialised site that provides green sustainable power for the region and supports the development of a Green Energy and Chemical Hub on the North Tees Group Estate, with the ambition of producing power to liquids (e-fuels and e-chemicals) through an offtake ecosystem on the north bank of the River Tees, near Stockton-on-Tees.
"The North Tees Group Estate is reclaimed and regenerated industrial land, and the provision of clean, always-on energy from at least four AP300s will help attract inward investment and high-value jobs."
Westinghouse said the collaboration "will further expand scale for workforce, training and supply chain localisation via multiple deployment projects", adding that it is a "significant step in making this new energy sector a reality with commercial operation expected by the early 2030s".
The project is in accordance with the recently published UK Government Alternative Routes to Market for New Nuclear Projects consultation and complementary to and supportive of Westinghouse's participation in Great British Nuclear's (GBN's) SMR technology selection process, Westinghouse noted.
"This project brings together Westinghouse's proven technology and mature supply chain with our depth of expertise in nuclear programme delivery, in a region that is transforming its industrial landscape," said CNP CEO Paul Foster. "We are delighted to be working with Westinghouse in support of private deployment in North Teesside."
Westinghouse launched its AP300 SMR in May last year. It is a single-loop pressurised water reactor based on the AP1000 technology and the company hopes to get design certification by 2027, with construction of a first unit beginning in 2030, with operation slated for 2033.
"We want to thank Community Nuclear Power for this tremendous opportunity to deliver our advanced, proven AP300 SMR technology to the UK market," said David Durham, Westinghouse President, Energy Systems. "Our AP300 SMR is ideally suited not just to support grid generation, but also for industrial sites for generating clean and secure energy and the ability to produce hydrogen, e-fuels, desalination and district heating."
Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, welcomed the agreement, saying: "Nuclear is an essential part of our journey to energy security and net-zero and this project shows that there is real appetite for new nuclear in the UK. A fleet of SMRs has the potential to bring significant investment and jobs to regions across the country, as well as providing clean energy for homes and industrial sites.
"Nuclear has already played a vital role in powering the North East, helping to give it some of the cleanest power anywhere in the UK and creating good jobs for people. We look forward to seeing how this project develops alongside others in the pipeline."
The UK government has plans to expand nuclear energy capacity to 24 GW by 2050, with a fleet of SMRs a key part of that strategy. Last year, the government and the new GBN arms-length body set up to help deliver that extra capacity began the selection process for which SMR technology to use. In October, EDF, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Holtec, NuScale Power, Rolls Royce SMR and Westinghouse were invited to bid for UK government contracts in the next stage of the process.
"We are at the final stages now of preparing and getting the approvals for the invitation to submit an initial tender document," GBN chairman Simon Bowen told WNN last month. "This is the next stage where all six companies will engage with our contractual documentation in terms of how we think it should be structured. They'll submit the responses in their initial tender, we will then go through a process to down-select to around about four with the aim to be placing contracts later in the year."
World Nuclear News podcast: Great British Nuclear's Simon Bowen on the UK's plans for 24GW and the SMR contest:
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The interior of JET's vessel (Image: UKAEA).jpg?ext=.jpg){kind=spacer}
(Image: NAP)
How the SMR could look (Image: Rosatom)
Brazil currently has two units at Angra (Image: Eletronuclear).jpg?ext=.jpg)
(Photo: Ukraine's Embassy in the USA).jpg?ext=.jpg)
A rendering of the MARVEL microreactor (Image: INL).jpg?ext=.jpg)
How the AP300 might look (Image: Westinghouse)