US Department of Energy Allocates USD 104 Million for Clean Energy Projects

This funding, part of the USD 250 million allocation from President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, marks the first disbursement from the DOE's AFFECT program.

January 18, 2024. By Abha Rustagi

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a USD 104 million investment for energy conservation and clean energy initiatives at 31 Federal facilities. 

This funding, part of the USD 250 million allocation from President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, marks the first disbursement from the DOE's Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) program.

Established in 1992, AFFECT aims to assist agencies in reducing energy consumption and saving taxpayers money through various initiatives, including building electrification, geothermal heat pumps, on-site solar generation, and battery energy storage. 

The projects align with President Biden's December 2021 Executive Order, calling for a 65 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from Federal operations by 2030 and a net-zero building portfolio by 2045.

US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm highlighted the significance of the investment, emphasizing the Federal Government's role as the largest consumer of energy. The projects announced will contribute to securing energy independence, combating climate change, and creating a healthier environment.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks underscored the Department of Defense's commitment to adapting to the global energy transition. The selected projects aim to make installations more resilient, enhance critical infrastructure security, and achieve cost savings.

The funding will support projects at various Federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, the Interior, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs, the General Services Administration, and the Office of Personnel Management.

Selected projects include the installation of rooftop solar panels and energy-efficient systems at the Pentagon, LED lights and PV film at the Department of Transportation's headquarters, and the replacement of boilers with electric boilers at DOE's Hanford Site, among others.

The 31 projects are expected to double the carbon-free electricity capacity at Federal facilities, resulting in 27 MW of additional clean-energy capacity. In the first year, the projects are projected to save over USD 29 million in energy and water costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and decrease energy usage significantly.

Managed by DOE's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), the AFFECT program encourages public-private partnerships, leveraging private investment to make Federal funding go further. 

The second round of AFFECT funding is set to open in January 2024, inviting engagement from energy and sustainability stakeholders across federal agencies, private sector organizations, and utilities. 

 US Department of Energy Joins Forces with Consortium to Boost Clean Hydrogen Growth

By: BNN Correspondents
Published: January 18, 2024 


In a bid to bolster the growth of clean hydrogen, the US Department of Energy (DoE) has chosen a consortium comprising of the EFI Foundation, S&P Global Inc, and Intercontinental Exchange. This endeavor is a part of a grander USD-7-billion effort by the DoE to promote clean hydrogen as a pivotal energy source.

Push for Clean Hydrogen

The consortium, operating under the banner of the Hydrogen Demand Initiative (H2DI), will work hand in hand with the DoE over the course of the next nine months. Their collective goal is to devise mechanisms that bolster the demand for clean hydrogen. These mechanisms will be directed chiefly at incentivizing the purchase of clean hydrogen that is produced by projects under the US initiative Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs).

Expertise and Collaboration

The consortium brings to the table a diverse range of expertise in clean hydrogen, project finance, and commercial contracting. Other contributors to this initiative include the MIT Energy Initiative’s modeling and analysis group and the law firm Dentons. The collaboration with these organizations aims to mitigate investment risks and stimulate a sustainable demand for clean hydrogen.

Ernest Moniz, the former US Energy Secretary and CEO of EFIF, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with partners to lower the uncertainties associated with clean hydrogen investments and cultivate sustainable demand.

Looking Ahead

A project team is already in place and ready to launch the H2DI in the forthcoming months. Their efforts are aimed at providing demand certainty for Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs and de-risking long-term investments in the clean hydrogen sector.

NASA Reveals the X-59—Its Antidote to the Sonic Boom

The experimental aircraft is expected to fly 1.4 times the speed of sound, or around 925 mph, according to NASA.

By Kimberly Johnson

January 12, 2024


NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft sits on the apron outside Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility at dawn in Palmdale, California. The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which seeks to address one of the primary challenges to supersonic flight over land by making sonic booms quieter. [Courtesy: Lockheed Martin Skunk Works]

A dramatic curtain drop at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, on Friday gave the world its first look at the X-59—NASA’s new experimental aircraft designed to quiet the sonic boom.

The one-of-a-kind X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft is part of NASA’s Low Boom Flight Demonstration project aimed at collecting data to help shape regulations for possible future commercial supersonic flight over land 50 years after it was banned by the FAA due to the noise of the sonic boom.

It’s expected to fly 1.4 times the speed of sound, or around 925 mph, according to NASA.READ MORE: NASA Ready to Roll Out Experimental X-59

“This is the big reveal,” said Catherine Bahm, the manager of NASA’s Low Boom Flight Demonstrator project who is overseeing the development and build of the X-59. “The rollout is a huge milestone toward achieving the overarching goal of the Quesst mission to quiet the sonic boom.”

Bob Pearce, associate administrator of NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, recalled one of America’s test flight heroes during the ceremony.


“This journey actually began in 1947, when the era of supersonic flight started right here in the California high desert with test pilot Chuck Yeager in the X-1,” said Pearce. “It soon became apparent that the sonic boom’s sharp thunderous sound heard when the airplane flies overhead at supersonic speed was going to be a problem.”



Engineering Sound Through Shape

The X-59 is designed to lessen the perceived sound of a sonic boom to that of a gentle thump, and it does that through a specialized aircraft shape.

Screenshot of the X-59 [Courtesy: NASA/ Lockheed Martin]

“What’s most obvious right away is the long, distinct nose which comprises almost a third of that 99.7-foot length,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “This design is really critical in dispersing shockwaves” and preventing the shocks from merging together and creating the boom.

The cockpit sits almost halfway down the length of the aircraft, and there’s no forward-facing window, which would have increased noise, Melroy said.

“It’s a huge challenge—limited visibility in the cockpit,” Melroy said. “The team developed the external vision system, which is really a marvel of high-resolution cameras feeding an ultra-high-resolution monitor. Beyond its immediate applications in the X-59, the external vision system has the potential to influence future aircraft designs, where the absence of that forward-facing window may prove advantageous for engineering reasons. It’s creating capabilities that we haven’

NASA will collect data on how communities perceive the sound of the X-59 flights, which will then be used to inform the agency’s recommendations for an acceptable noise-level standard for commercial supersonic flights and possibly repeal the current ban of supersonic flight over land.READ MORE: NASA X-59 Cleared for Final Assembly

NASA’s X-59 aircraft is parked near the runway at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California, on June 19, 2023. This is where the X-59 will be housed during ground and initial flight tests. [Courtesy: Lockheed Martin]

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“The unveiling of NASA’s X-59 supersonic aircraft is a major milestone in aviation history that has the potential to transform our industry,” said Dave Schreck, vice president and general manager of military avionics and helicopters at Collins Aerospace, which provided the primary avionics system on the aircraft.

The X-59 is expected to take its first flight later in 2024.

“The Quesst team will conduct several of the aircraft’s flight tests at Skunk Works before transferring it to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards [Air Force Base], California, which will serve as its base of operations,” NASA said.

Watch: Time-Lapse Video of the X-59

This time-lapse video shows the manufacturing of the X-59 aircraft from May 2019 to June 2021 when the merger of its main sections—the wing, tail assembly, and fuselage—was completed.


Kimberly Johnson is managing editor of FLYING Defense & Space.

2 Eye-Popping ‘Flying Car’ Designs Debut in Las Vegas

XPeng AeroHT unveiled its ‘Land Aircraft Carrier’ modular ground/air concept and debuted its eVTOL supercar for an international audience.

By Jack Daleo

FLYING MAG

January 12, 2024

XPeng AeroHT’s Land Aircraft Carrier, with its air and ground modules separated for flight.

 [Courtesy: XPeng AeroHT]

At this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024 in Las Vegas, it was a Chinese company that stole the show with a pair of outlandish concepts that it terms “flying cars,” though the use of the term stretches the definition for one of them.

Manufacturer XPeng AeroHT, a subsidiary of Chinese automaker XPeng Motors, unveiled its “Land Aircraft Carrier,” a lunar rover-looking vehicle that actually consists of two vehicles: a ground module and an air module that deploys from the ground module for flight. The company said customers will be able to preorder the vehicle in the fourth quarter of this year, with deliveries starting in late 2025.

Also at CES, AeroHT made the international debut of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) flying supercar concept, demonstrating the aircraft outside China for the first time. Production and delivery of that model will happen after the Land Aircraft Carrier takes flight, the firm predicted in October.

Billed as “the most powerful tech event in the world,” CES is an annual U.S. trade show that offers a forum for groundbreaking technology built by companies worldwide. All sorts of mind-blowing innovations were featured at the event. But AeroHT’s eccentric Land Aircraft Carrier may have taken the cake.

Announced in October, the design looks a bit like Tesla’s recently unveiled Cybertruck, with sharp lines and a sleek exterior. But stowed in its rear is a drone-like aircraft, which users could theoretically deploy and fly in a variety of settings.

The Land Aircraft Carrier is a two-part design, with an air module for vertical takeoff and low-altitude flight and a ground module for driving and storage of the compact aircraft. In addition to personal use, AeroHT envisions the vehicle being used for public services such as emergency rescue.

Though the final design is still under development, the “modular flying car,” as the company describes it, already features a futuristic, “cybermechanical” exterior. According to AeroHT, all key tests in the vehicle’s research and development validation phase are complete, and it is in the “preparation stage” for mass production.


The vehicle’s ground module is built for four to five passengers, driving on six wheels and three axles. That configuration enables 6×6 all-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering. In addition, an extended-range electric powertrain can be used to recharge the air module on the road.


The vehicle’s aerial component is fully electric, designed for a pilot and one passenger. It includes both manual and automatic driving modes, AeroHT said, as well as a 270-degree cockpit window for a wide field of view. And fortunately, getting it ready to fly is anything but a hassle.

“The automated system streamlines the separation and combination of the air and ground modules just like the Transformers [action figures], making flying more accessible and extending the user’s travel experience from the ground to the sky,” AeroHT said in a previous release.

The air module uses distributed electric propulsion to meet single point of failure safety requirements. Should one of its six rotors fail, the aircraft’s flight control system will automatically make adjustments, allowing it to fly safely even with only four propellers spinning. In addition, AeroHT in October tested a multi-parachute rescue system, which can be deployed at altitudes as low as 50 meters agl.

AeroHT this week also showcased its latest eVTOL flying car concept to an international crowd for the first time. The design, described as a supercar, was revealed in October alongside the Land Aircraft Carrier. CES attendees were treated to a live demonstration of its transition from land to flight mode.



Under development for more than two years, AeroHT’s flying supercar builds on the company’s early prototypes.

On the road, the vehicle really does look just like a car—its flying components, such as manipulator arms and rotor systems, are folded and stored inside the vehicle in land mode. Those parts unfurl in flight mode, allowing the supercar to take off and land vertically. An “intelligent cockpit” discerns between the two modes, adapting components such as the steering wheel or dashboard based on the user’s selection.

AeroHT’s eVTOL flying supercar, with arms and rotors stored for driving.

 [Courtesy: XPeng AeroHT]

“This functionality allows for intuitive navigation through congested areas and obstacles when conditions permit, effectively addressing the demand for short-distance, low-altitude travel,” AeroHT said.

The implication there is that users, when faced with traffic, will be able to switch to flight mode and bypass it through the air. That contrasts with other flying car designs that intend to limit takeoffs and landings exclusively to airfields, such as Aska’s A5.

AeroHT’s eVTOL flying supercar, with arms and rotors unfurled for flight, sits on display at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. 

[Courtesy: XPeng AeroHT]

In 2022, AeroHT tested a flying supercar prototype weighing about two tons. The company said mass production will follow as soon as policy, regulations, and application scenarios “become more mature.”

That day may be fast approaching. By AeroHT’s estimate, Chinese state and local authorities in the first half of 2023 released more than 120 policies related to the low-altitude economy, China’s equivalent to the FAA’s advanced air mobility (AAM) moniker. These include strategies such as the Outline for the Development of Green Aviation Manufacturing (2023-2035) and plans to set aside dedicated airspace for low-altitude operations.

China predicts the low-altitude economy will add hundreds of billions of dollars to its national output in the coming years. The industry kicked off in earnest with the first commercial electric air taxi flight in December, completed by manufacturer EHang.

Electric air taxis have not yet launched in the U.S., though the initial cohort of aircraft is expected to enter service in 2025. However, personal eVTOL designs, such as Pivotal’s Helix, are now beginning to hit the U.S. market.

There are also several U.S. firms billing themselves as ‘flying car’ manufacturers, and AeroHT could present some competition. In addition to Aska, Oregon-based Samson Sky is developing the Switchblade flying sports car, while California-based Alef Aeronautics is building the Model A drive-and-fly vehicle.

Alef intends to open vehicle sales in 2025, while Aska and Samson Sky have not yet announced entry into service dates.

Personal Aircraft Requiring No Certificate to Fly Hits U.S. Market

Pivotal’s Helix is an electric vertical takeoff and landing design that qualifies as a Part 103 ultralight built for recreational flyers.

By Jack DaleoJanuary 11, 2024

A digital rendering of Pivotal’s Helix, a personal eVTOL aircraft that requires no certificate to fly and is now on sale in the U.S. [Courtesy: Pivotal]

If you’ve dreamed of taking to the skies but are too busy to put in the hours for a full program of flight training, there’s a strange new aircraft you can fly without a certificate—and it’s now on sale in the U.S.

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer Pivotal this week opened online sales of Helix, a personal flying vehicle for first-time aviators and experienced pilots alike. Like a video game, Helix is controlled by a single pilot using a pair of simple joysticks, plus fly-by-wire controls. For $190,000, Pivotal will train customers to fly it and send them on their way in their very own aircraft.

Pivotal, which is backed by Google co-founder and ex-CEO Larry Page, unveiled Helix in October when it rebranded from Opener Aero. Prior to that, the firm actually sold half a dozen preproduction BlackFly aircraft. In June, it said it was the first company to actually deliver an eVTOL to a paying customer.

Helix, which unlike BlackFly is scalable for production, was designed mainly for personal or recreational use. The aircraft is available in three differently priced configurations, with initial customer shipments scheduled for June.


With an empty weight below 350 pounds, Helix qualifies as a Part 103 ultralight aircraft, meaning the FAA does not require pilot certification to fly it. In lieu of hundreds of hours of flight training, Pivotal requires customers to complete about two weeks of initial training at its Palo Alto, California, headquarters, with recurrent training after they earn their wings.

While more expensive than a typical automobile, Helix’s $190,000 base price tag is at the low end of the range for popular personal aircraft. It costs slightly more than a Texas Aircraft Colt, for example, but less than a Beechcraft G36 Bonanza, Diamond DA40 NG, Piper Archer LX, or Cessna models such as the 182 Skylane or 172 Skyhawk.

“We’re proud to begin selling, and soon delivering, our Helix aircraft,” said Ken Karklin, CEO of Pivotal. “The market is ready for the wonder of aerial recreation and short-hop eVTOL travel. We are ready to provide the beauty and freedom of personal flight to a whole lot of people with a passion for flying and an interest in creating a new generation of aviators and aviation,”

To fly Helix, owners must be at least 18 years old, weigh less than 220 pounds, and stand no taller than 6-foot-5. Customers can place a nonrefundable $250 application fee on Pivotal’s website. To lock up a production slot and receive a forecasted ship date, they’ll need to deposit another $50,000 within five business days of the initial order.

Full Tilt

There’s nothing quite like Helix flying today.

One of the more eye-catching features is its “tilt aircraft” architecture. Tilting rotors or propellers are not uncommon to eVTOL designs, aiding in both vertical and horizontal flight. Pivotal, however, decided to scrap the moving parts and tilt the entire carbon fiber composite airframe between takeoff and cruise—this, it says, reduces weight, complexity, and points of failure.

Helix relies entirely on propulsion for hover but can cruise on its fixed wings, flying quieter than even an electric car. To switch flight modes, users simply push a button on one of the two joysticks and pull back. The transition happens pretty quickly, as seen below:

Ease of use was a central tenet in Helix’s design: It enables both autotakeoff and autolanding, for example. An integrated display and user interface, meanwhile, give the pilot real-time altitude, location, speed, and other measurements.

Helix represents a major upgrade on BlackFly, with a redesigned canopy and flight deck, more comfortable seating, and improved power, propulsion, and performance. But it maintains its predecessor’s portability, capable of fitting into a 16-foot trailer and going from storage to the sky in less than 30 minutes.

Owners will be able to download a free smartphone app that simplifies preflight checks, captures flight history, and manages charging and aircraft service. Aircraft add-ons include a transport trailer; fast charging; aviation and ground radios; ADS-B; and a gimbal camera, which would allow someone on the ground to watch the flight as if they’re in the air with the pilot.

As a Part 103 ultralight, Helix speeds up time to fly in exchange for certain operational restrictions. For example, pilots will be required to fly during daytime and in Class G airspace, far from congested airspace and airports. The aircraft is also restricted to about a 20 sm (17 nm) range and 63 mph (55 knot) cruise speed.

Since the eVTOL is built for inexperienced flyers, Pivotal made sure to load it with safety features. When necessary, it can land on water, for example, and only six of its eight rotors are required for flight and landing, in addition to other fault-tolerant systems. A landing camera, beacon lights, and whole-aircraft ballistic parachute add further layers of protection.

Starting only in the U.S., Helix can be purchased in three configurations. The $190,000 base package includes a digital flight panel, canopy, HD landing camera, charger, vehicle cart, custom marking, comprehensive pilot training, and warranty. A $240,000 package comes with a glossier finish and all of the features above, plus even more. The priciest option, at $260,000, includes everything in the first two packages plus premium features, such as beacon aircraft lighting, and the option to fully customize the exterior for an added fee.

Pivotal may provide a good litmus test for the integration of outlandish new aircraft such as Helix into airspace used by GA traffic. But Karklin told FLYING the company may one day certify Helix as a light sport aircraft (LSA) under updated FAA rules, should they come to fruition. That could enable some commercial applications, and the Pivotal CEO listed public service and defense as possible future use cases.

DRONES

China’s DJI, Facing U.S. Bans, Launches Global Sales of Delivery Drone

DJI, the largest consumer drone manufacturer in the world, confronts myriad restrictions from U.S. lawmakers fearing surveillance and Chinese dominance.

By Jack Daleo

FLYING MAG

January 12, 2024

DJI’s FlyCart 30 delivery drone comes in two different configurations. 

[Courtesy: DJI]

The company responsible for an estimated seven out of every 10 consumer drone sales worldwide is throwing its hat in the drone delivery ring.

China’s DJI, the market leader in consumer drones since 2015, this week announced that its recently unveiled FlyCart 30 model is now available globally. The company kicked off sales in China in August. But the international expansion marks its true entry into the drone delivery space.

Prior to last year, DJI made drones almost exclusively for hobbyists or industrial customers. Most of these are camera drones, equipped with features such as high-definition lenses and video recorders. Others are designed for surveillance and inspection, with thermal or infrared sensors, mapping software, and advanced communications systems.

Despite the Chinese government’s alleged involvement in DJI, the company’s ascent has largely been organic, fueled by its reputation for low cost, high quality products. Its drones have been used to film high-profile TV shows such as Game of Thrones, The Amazing Race, Better Call Saul, and American Ninja Warrior, and have developed a following among American users. They’ve also been discovered on the battlefield in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, often in modified forms.


DJI’s presence in the U.S. has drawn the ire of lawmakers, who have decried the company’s products as “TikTok with wings” and leveled accusations of spying, without concrete evidence. Bans at the federal and state levels have taken aim at it and other Chinese manufacturers. In December, lawmakers successfully included sweeping restrictions in the recently passed defense policy bill.

However, with the exception of a few states, the restrictions only hamper DJI at the federal level. American companies will still be able to purchase the buzzing aircraft, though the manufacturer will compete for business with established U.S. players such as Zipline and Google parent Alphabet’s Wing.
The Specs

DJI says FlyCart 30 can be deployed for a variety of use cases: last-mile delivery, mountain or offshore transportation, emergency rescue, agriculture, construction, surveying, and more. This week’s announcement did not list a price tag, but the model is on sale in China for $17,000.

FlyCart 30 is a multirotor design featuring eight blades connected by four shared axes. Carbon fiber propellers, powered by a pair of built-in-house batteries, provide lift. Measuring 9-by-10-by-3 feet, the model enters the market as one of the largest short-range delivery drones.


Despite its size, the drone tops out at about 45 mph (39 knots). With both batteries installed, it can carry a 30-kilogram (66 pound) payload over a distance of about 8.6 nm, remaining airborne for only 18 minutes. In emergency single-battery mode, the payload rises to 88 pounds but range is cut in half.

However, FlyCart 30 is more durable than the average delivery drone. It has an IP55 rating, meaning it protects against dust and moderate rain, and can fly in winds as fast as 27 mph. The drone can also operate in temperatures as high as 122 degrees or as low as minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit—its batteries heat themselves, maintaining performance even in the freezing cold.

In addition, the drone’s propellers are optimized to fly at up to 19,600 feet agl, or up to 9,800 agl with a 66-pound payload—far higher than the 400-foot altitude occupied by most delivery drones today. This will allow FlyCart 30 to serve China’s mountainous landscape and hard-to-reach locations in other countries.

For beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights, FlyCart 30 can communicate with a remote controller as far as 12 miles away. But its unique Dual Operator mode extends that range by allowing pilots to transfer control of the drone with the push of a button.


During flight, a suite of sensors and visual systems can detect obstacles in multiple directions, in all weather conditions, day or night. A built-in ADS-B receiver alerts crewed aircraft of the drone’s approach. And in case of emergency, an integrated parachute can deploy at low altitude for a soft landing—or the drone can automatically pick an alternate landing site.

FlyCart 30 comes in two configurations, both of which can fold down for transport in a “standard-sized vehicle.” In cargo mode, payloads are placed in a 70-liter case built from material commonly found in the reusable packaging industry. Capable of being installed or removed in under three minutes, the case includes weight and center of gravity sensors to prevent swaying in the air.

Customers can also opt for winch mode, which is ideal for deliveries to inconvenient landing sites. A winch crane can carry up to 88 pounds of cargo, releasing it automatically at the delivery location on a 65-foot cable. Augmented reality projection is used to guide the cable to the landing point.

A FlyCart 30 purchase comes with the aircraft, batteries, charging hub with cables, and DJI’s RC Plus remote controller. In addition, FlyCart can be linked with the company’s DeliveryHub software, which provides operation planning, status monitoring, team resource management, and data collection and analysis.


Viewable on the RC controller is Pilot 2, another software that displays real time information on flight status, cargo status, battery power level, and more. Pilot 2 also alerts operators of potential risks along the flight path and generates alternate landing points in the case of extreme weather or other abnormal conditions. From the controller, users can even view flights live through the drone’s first-person view gimbal camera.
The Outlook

DJI has held the pole position in consumer drones for nearly a decade. The company could continue to bring in billions of dollars in annual revenue by specializing in that area. But the launch of drone delivery signals the firm’s ambitions run deeper.

Rather than selling exclusively to individual hobbyists, DJI can now reach enterprise customers such as retailers or medical organizations. That segment is less susceptible to macroeconomic swings and could help the company stabilize revenue. Skydio, the largest consumer drone company in the U.S., recently shuttered its consumer business entirely, electing instead to pursue enterprise customers.

Working in DJI’s favor is its already established international network of dealers and customers. The firm has become a trusted brand in the consumer drone space, and many companies and organizations—which could become drone delivery customers—are already familiar with DJI systems and interfaces. Some of them already use the company’s other drones.


A potential concern, however, is FlyCart 30’s niche. The drone doesn’t fit neatly into a single category: its limited range and flight time suggest it will hone in on the last mile, but its size and weight make it better suited to deliver heavy cargo rather than food and groceries. Medical payloads could be a good fit (DJI has said as much) but the company would need to compete with Zipline, whose drones can fly 190 miles on a single charge. As of January, Zipline has completed nearly 900,000 deliveries worldwide.

In addition, FlyCart 30’s 143 pound empty weight with both batteries installed would exceed the FAA’s limits for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). To fly in the U.S., DJI would require type certification or an exemption to Section 44807 of Title 49 of U.S. Code. The European Union and New Zealand, two other emerging drone delivery markets, have similar rules.

DJI may be able to overcome those restrictions in other foreign countries, but breaking into the U.S. market could be challenging. For years, American lawmakers have targeted it and other Chinese manufacturers with bans, though these only restrict the technology at the federal level. However, a few states have already shown willingness to pass their own bans.

Further, U.S. lawmakers are pushing legislation that would extend DJI bans to the consumer level, restricting hobbyists and potentially even businesses from flying the drones. But DJI has made one thing very clear: Global scale, not regional, is the objective.



Jack Daleo
Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.

Passengers Sue Boeing

The lawsuit has been filed on behalf of passengers from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.

By Meg Godlewski

FLYING MAG

January 12, 2024

Six passengers have taken legal action against Boeing for the blowout of a door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9. [Courtesy: NTSB]

Six passengers aboard an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 that lost a door plug in flight are suing Boeing for unspecified damages for “personal and economic harms” allegedly suffered as a result of the January 5 incident.

A seventh person, the husband of a passenger, is also named in the complaint filed in King County Superior Court on Thursday by the Stritmatter Firm in Seattle. The law firm specializes in personal injury cases.
What Happened

On January 5 at around 5 p.m. PST, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland International Airport (KPDX) in Oregon destined for Ontario, California. Approximately 13 minutes into the flight as the aircraft climbed through 16,000 feet, the door plug blew off. There was explosive decompression that sucked cellphones and parts of the seats adjacent to the hole out of the aircraft. A 15-year-old boy sitting next to the hole had his shirt ripped off his body by the force of the event.

The flight crew declared an emergency and the aircraft returned to the airport. There were no serious injuries reported among the 177 on board.


However, according to the complaint, “the event physically injured some passengers and emotionally traumatized most if not all aboard. The violence of the event bruised the bodies of some. The cockpit door blew open, and a flight attendant rushed to try to close it. The pressure change made ears bleed, and combined with low oxygen, loud wind noise, and traumatic stress, made heads ache severely. Passengers were shocked, terrorized, and confused, thrust into a waking nightmare, hoping they would live long enough to walk the earth again.”

The depressurization caused the oxygen masks to drop from the overhead panels. The complaint alleges that some of the oxygen masks “did not seem to work,” and “the flight attendants sought to attend to children, questions and concerns, and carried oxygen bottles to some, but did not or could not help all those whose oxygen masks seemed not to be functioning.”

Following the incident, the passengers aboard Flight 1282 received an email from Alaska Airlines providing them with a full refund.”As an immediate gesture of care, within the first 24 hours, we also provided a $1,500 cash payment to cover any incidental expenses to ensure their immediate needs were taken care of,” the airline said. “The payment was provided without any stipulations or conditions. This is in addition to offering 24/7 access to mental health resources and counseling sessions from Empathia, our incident response and family assistance partner. We are in communication with our guests of Flight 1282 and will continue to work with them to address their specific needs and concerns.”

FLYING reached out to Boeing regarding the complaint. The company replied that it has nothing to add.

Shortly after the event, Alaska Airlines voluntarily grounded its 737 Max 9s.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA are investigating the incident, stressing that the safety of the traveling public is paramount.


Within hours of the incident, the F AA issued a worldwide grounding of all 737 Max 9 aircraft and instructed the operators to inspect them. The jet is widely used by both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, two of the largest air carriers. Both have reported finding loose bolts during the inspection.

Both airlines have canceled hundreds of flights as result of the removal of the 737 Max 9 from operations.READ MORE: Alaska Airlines Grounds 737 Max Fleet Following Explosive Decompression
The Investigation Continues

On January 11 the NTSB recovered the door plug of the airliner from a backyard in a Portland residential neighborhood. The door plug and other bits and pieces torn from the aircraft are being studied in the NTSB laboratory in Washington, D.C. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the door plug to disengage from the aircraft.

According to Clint Crookshanks, an NTSB aerospace engineer who is part of the structures team on the investigation, the door plug is held in place by 12 stop pads that interface with 12 pins to prevent it from blowing out of the fuselage. The door is installed using guide tracks and roller guides then secured with four bolts. Crookshanks noted the guide tracks from the door plug were fractured, but as of yet, the NTSB has not determined if the bolts that were supposed to secure the door failed or if they had even been installed.

The aircraft was delivered to Alaska Airlines in October 2023 and at the time of the accident had flown 145 flights. According to the NTSB, prior to the accident flight there were three maintenance write-ups made by the crews for air pressurization warning lights. The air pressurization system is a triple redundant system, with a primary and secondary that control cabin pressure by computer and a third system controlled manually. Maintenance issues were reported on December 7, January 3, and January 4.


The FAA allows aircraft to fly with these maintenance issues since it is considered a triple redundancy. However, the aircraft was limited to overland operations.

The NTSB said it will be investigating whether the warning lights were “correlated in any way to the expulsion of the door plug and the rapid decompression.” The agency said the probe into the blowout could take months.

The grounding of the twin-engine jets has resulted in hundreds of flight cancellations and delays.

In the meantime, the FAA is investigating Boeing to determine if the aerospace giant’s manufacturing processes comply with the high safety standards the company is legally accountable to meet.

In a letter sent to Boeing on January 9, the agency stated that it had received notification of “additional discrepancies on other Boeing 737-9 airplanes” and noted these circumstances “indicate that Boeing may have failed to ensure its completed products conformed to its approved design and were in a condition for safe operation in accordance with quality system inspection and test procedures.”


Boeing has 10 days to respond to the FAA.

In the meantime, Spirit AeroSystems, a Boeing subcontractor, is also facing litigation for allegedly ignoring concerns raised by former employees about product quality. The complaint, filed in December, alleges corporate officials at the Wichita, Kansas-based company were repeatedly warned about “sustained quality failures” and “excessive amounts of defects,” but those concerns were ignored.READ MORE: Boeing Subcontractor Scrutinized Over Door Plug Failure

Employees allegedly discussed that it was only a matter of time before one of these substandard parts made it onto a jet delivered to a customer. Among the parts made by Spirit AeroSystems is the door plug that is used to turn a space for an optional emergency exit into a window. From the interior of the cabin, it looks like the other windows. From the exterior, the outline of the door is clearly seen on the fuselage.

In a statement to FLYING, Spirit AeroSystems indicated the company is cooperating with the NTSB’s investigation.

In the meantime, the FAA said the 737 9 Max will stay grounded until all the aircraft have been inspected and found to be safe, noting “the safety of the flying public, not speed, will determine the timeline for returning the Boeing 737-9 Max to service.”

Today the FAA announced it is making changes in how it worked with Boeing to include an audit involving the Boeing 737-9 MAX production line and its suppliers to evaluate Boeing’s compliance with its approved quality procedures. The results of the FAA’s audit analysis will determine whether additional audits are necessary.


There will be an increase in monitoring of Boeing 737-9 MAX in-service events, along with an assessment of safety risks around delegated authority and quality oversight, and examination of options to move these functions under independent, third-party entities.

“It is time to re-examine the delegation of authority and assess any associated safety risks,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said. “The grounding of the 737-9 and the multiple production-related issues identified in recent years require us to look at every option to reduce risk. The FAA is exploring the use of an independent third party to oversee Boeing’s inspections and its quality system.”

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

 

Canada invests in ADM grain terminal expansion at Port Windsor

Canadian government officials recently announced a federal investment of up to CA$26.3 million under the National Trade Corridors Fund for the Archer Daniels Midland Co.'s (ADM) grain terminal expansion at Port Windsor in Ontario.

The project will significantly increase the port's export capacity to global markets in Europe, the United States and Latin America for agricultural production from southwestern Ontario farmers, government officials said in a news release.

The project calls for the construction of new grain drying equipment, an expansion of grain storage capacity and shipping/receiving conveyor loading capacity, and the development of an automated truck kiosk system to expedite complex traffic flows.

The project is expected to alleviate the current supply-chain bottleneck at the grain terminal, facilitate increased tonnage, enhance marine transportation and grain transportation emissions. The expansion also addresses idling trucks, waiting times for marine vessels to dock and locomotives shuttling rail cars for temporary on-site grain storage.

"By increasing our export capacity at Port Windsor, we're helping our farmers get Canadian grain to international markets, which is good for economic growth and for global food security," said Canada Minister of Transport Pablo Rodriguez.

The Essex Terminal Railway Co. — which interchanges with Canadian Pacific Kansas City, CN and Norfolk Southern Railway — serves the port.

 

G&W unveils ESG report

G&W released its report on ESG progress in 2022.

Photo – Genesee & Wyoming Inc.

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) has issued its latest environmental, social and governance (ESG) report, which summarizes the company's efforts in 2022.

Highlights include:
• the development of a greenhouse-gas emissions inventory to help track progress toward achieving G&W's science-based emissions reduction target;
• continued upgrades to North American locomotive fleet to reduce fuel consumption and minimize emissions, plus pilot tests of alternative fuels in the United States and United Kingdom;
• employee engagement groups that target organizational communication and identifying ways to better ensure that all workers — from corporate support to front-liners — have equal access to company information;
• recognition of more than 300 employees for working more than 20 years injury-free and conducting nearly 1,800 safety audits to ensure safe practices across multiple physical working environments; and
• attaining the highest-ever overall customer satisfaction score in a survey of more than 1,400 shippers.

"We’re proud of the progress we have made toward fulfilling our ESG goals," said Michael Miller, CEO for G&W North America. "Creating a more sustainable future for ourselves, our customers and our communities is rooted in several of [our] core values and, moving forward, will be paramount to achieving our core purpose."

CN, Unifor reach tentative agreement for CNTL drivers

CN has announced that CNTL, its subsidiary dedicated to first- and last-mile trucking container pickup and deliveries, has reached a tentative agreement with owner-operators affiliated with Unifor.

The four-year agreement covers about 750 owner-operators under contract with CNTL in Canada until Dec. 31, 2027, according to a news release.

"We believe that this deal is good for the owner-operators and will support business needs, ensuring that they can continue delivering critical first-mile and last-mile services," said Doug MacDonald, CN's executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

 NUKE NEWZ

Danish university to create new nuclear research centre

18 January 2024

The Technical University of Denmark is establishing a new interdisciplinary centre that will consolidate and strengthen research in nuclear power technologies.

Bent Lauritzen, who will head the DTU Nuclear Energy Technology (Image: Magnus Møller - DTU)

Although research into nuclear power has been limited in Denmark over the past 40 years, The Technical University of Denmark (Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, DTU) has maintained several research environments that work with nuclear physics and nuclear technologies, thus maintaining professional expertise in the field.

Under the leadership of Bent Lauritzen, a senior researcher at DTU Physics, the new centre - to be named DTU Nuclear Energy Technology - will strengthen the collaboration between relevant research environments, currently located at the departments 0f DTU Physics, DTU Energy, DTU Chemistry and DTU Construct.

DTU Nuclear Energy Technology will ensure that Denmark continues to have strong competencies in the field and cooperate with Danish and international companies working to develop new reactor types, the university said.

The purpose of the new centre will be to: attract and support academic talent to strengthen research in nuclear energy technologies; expand capacities for teaching and supervision of students, including PhD students; create experimental facilities for such areas as characterisation of materials and simulation of new reactor technologies; and strengthen collaboration with Danish and international companies.

"The climate crisis has reached an extent that makes it crucial that we research all technologies that may be relevant in phasing out fossil energy sources," said DTU President Anders Bjarklev. "Regardless of whether nuclear power has a future in Denmark, it is important for DTU to have research in the field because we have an obligation to contribute research-based knowledge to society and our students. Our ambition with the creation of the new centre is to strengthen the part of the research that is specifically aimed at nuclear energy technologies."

DTU noted that the development of nuclear technologies has "advanced significantly", especially over the last 15 years or so. "In addition to the establishment of new, so-called Generation IV power plants as a further development of large, traditional nuclear power plants, work is being done to develop small, modular reactors," it said. "These differ from traditional plants both in terms of size, performance, and structure. A number of universities and companies worldwide - including two Danish startups - are working on developing and commercialising these small modular reactors."

"The technological breakthroughs that are happening in nuclear power these years are hugely interesting in terms of research," Lauritzen said. "New reactor technologies may well turn out to be able to contribute significantly to the world's energy supply, and this is what our research must help clarify. It is crucial that we, as a technical university, are ready to seize new technological opportunities when they arise."

Denmark had three nuclear research reactors, which started up between 1957 and 1960, at the Risø National Laboratory north of Roskilde on the island of Zeeland. DR-1, a 2kWt homogeneous unit from 1957, stopped operating in 2001 and was fully decommissioned in 2006. A 5 MWt pool reactor (DR-2) closed in 1975, and a 10 MWt heavy water reactor (DR-3) closed in 2000. Fuel fabrication facilities for DR-2 and DR-3 were closed in 2002.

The Risø National Laboratory was incorporated into DTU and is now known as the Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy. Although fission research at Risø has stopped, nuclear research (including fusion) still continues and its Hevesy Laboratory houses a cyclotron, which is used for radioactive isotope production.

In 1985, the Danish parliament passed a resolution that nuclear power plants would not be built in the country and there is currently no move to reverse this situation.

Dutch initiative to boost nuclear workforce

17 January 2024

With the Netherlands planning an expansion of its use of nuclear energy, various parties in the Dutch nuclear and education sectors have signed a declaration of intent aimed at boosting vocational education in nuclear technology.

Representatives from the various partners at the signing ceremony (Image: Vonk)

Nuclear power currently has a small role in the Dutch electricity supply, with the 485 MWe (net) Borssele pressurised water reactor providing about 3% of total generation. The plant has been in operation since 1973 and is scheduled to close in 2033. Research is being conducted into keeping the reactor in operation for longer. At the end of 2022, the Dutch government announced the Borssele site as the preferred location for two new power reactors. In addition, the new PALLAS reactor for the production of medical isotopes is under construction.

"For the realisation of all these ambitions, the influx of employees with sufficient knowledge of the nuclear industry needs to be improved and increased," the partners said in a joint statement. "This requires strengthening the relationship between the nuclear sector and educational institutions, in which vocational education plays a crucial role."

A declaration of intent has now been signed by industry participants COVRA, EPZ, NRG-Pallas and Urenco and educational institutions Scalda, Horizon College/Regio College, Vonk, ROC van Twente and TU Delft.

The aim is to jointly develop a new nuclear curriculum in order to increase the interest of students for careers in the nuclear sector. The organisations will develop a multi-year plan for cooperation and will jointly explore funding opportunities.

"The collaborating partners will focus on new education packages in the field of nuclear technology and radiation protection, coordinated internship programmes and better career orientation to make students enthusiastic about a career in the nuclear sector," the partners said. "The initiators are of course open to expanding cooperation with other vocational institutions, companies and organisations."

NRG-Pallas and TU Delft are already cooperating on the Nuclear Academy programme, which is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. The programme focuses on strengthening nuclear knowledge and skills in the Netherlands on various levels.

Newcleo consults NTS on transport of MOX

18 January 2024

UK-headquartered innovative reactor developer Newcleo has commissioned Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS) to carry out feasibility studies in several areas of nuclear transport requirements, including for the transport of mixed plutonium-uranium oxide (MOX) fuel.

A cutaway of Newcleo's TL-30 reactor design (Image: Newcleo)

As part of this work, NTS will support Newcleo through investigating packaging solutions for nuclear fuel; physical security for nuclear fuel; and transport routing and asset options.

Newcleo's proposed small modular lead-cooled fast reactors would use MOX fuel. Newcleo is planning a 30 MWe lead-cooled fast neutron test reactor in France in 2030, with a 200 MWe first-of-a-kind commercial unit planned for the UK in 2032.

In June 2022, Newcleo announced it had contracted France's Orano for feasibility studies on the establishment of a MOX production plant.

"I am delighted to embark on these studies with NTS, which will cover a range of nuclear materials that are part of the Newcleo fuel cycle, including MOX fuel," said Andrew Murdoch, Newcleo Managing Director, UK Operations. "Newcleo's MOX fuel manufacturing facilities will be located in France, and movement of MOX fuel to our reactor sites, including those in the UK, will need to be managed to the highest standards of safety and security in line with stringent regulation.

"We look forward to collaborating with NTS and benefitting from their significant expertise as we build a new competitive industrial standard for nuclear in the UK and beyond."

NTS - part of the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority - oversees three specialist nuclear vessels, a fleet of over 100 locomotives, and a 700+ strong team. It operates Direct Rail Services and Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited, which deliver rail and shipping activities.

"Our work in undertaking a number of feasibility studies for Newcleo is a great example of NTS, as specialists in the transportation of nuclear fuel, using our expertise to advise external partners on how best to address their individual transport challenges," said NTS CEO Seth Kybird. "This collaboration will help to support the delivery of energy ambitions both within the UK and overseas."

UK invests in new neutron facility

17 January 2024

The UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has announced plans for a new neutron measurement facility at its site in Teddington, south-west London. The new accelerator system will be six times as powerful as the one it is replacing.

3D render of the new 2 MV coaxial tandetron particle accelerator to be installed in NPL's neutron measurement facility (Image: NPL)

NPL said the new facility "will play a critical role in the safe and secure operation and continued development of the UK's nuclear energy, defence and fusion research sectors". It will provide "all-important traceability in terms of established safety protocols and stringent regulatory compliance that ensures new-build reactors can help drive the rapid and safe expansion of nuclear power in the UK".

It noted that the new system allows the UK government to continue to "provide an enduring and resilient measurement infrastructure, ensuring that measurements can always be made in the UK with integrity and consistency", as set out in the government's 2022 UK Measurement Strategy for the National Measurement System.

The facility consists of a new particle accelerator and is one of only a few known facilities worldwide that offers precision traceable neutron standards.

The new accelerator system will be a 2.0 MV Coaxial VHC Tandetron manufactured by High Voltage Engineering Europa BV of the Netherlands, the same company that manufactured the current KN3000 Van de Graaff accelerator over 60 years ago.

NPL said the upgraded neutron facility addresses a number of current, future and emerging needs in the nuclear sector, including: the characterisation of new instrumentation and detectors required to ensure the UK's nuclear infrastructure and future reactors operate safely and efficiently; providing the expertise and facilities to enable the characterisation of neutron diagnostics, neutronics benchmark and validation experiments and nuclear cross section and decay-data measurement, to support the work at UK-based world-leading fusion research organisations and their supply chains; producing both monoenergetic and thermal neutron fields for UK Defence and Security; and the characterisation and calibration of new area survey instruments and personal dosemeter products to assure the safety of workers within the nuclear sector.

The upgrade has been funded by the former Department for Business for Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) PSRE Infrastructure Fund.

"By extending the UK's capability in neutron standards and device calibration which leads to improved accuracy and direct measurement in place of extrapolated data and therefore helping to accelerate work on advanced nuclear technologies, we are ensuring the UK is leading in this field," said NPL CEO Peter Thompson.

"This is an exciting time for UK nuclear science and this facility is a concrete example of that," added Michael Bunce, Senior Scientist and Technical Lead at NPL. "With this machine we will be able to continue to provide standards to UK and international customers with greater efficiency and reliability whilst extending our research into new areas such as nuclear data measurements in support of fusion."

Last week, the British government launched a roadmap for reaching its ambition for the UK to have 24 GWe of nuclear generating capacity by 2050, representing about 25% of the country's projected electricity demand. The plans include next steps for exploring a large-scale nuclear power plant as well as small modular reactors. The roadmap also includes a government ambition to secure 3–7 GW worth of investment decisions every five years from 2030 to 2044 on new nuclear projects.

Nuclear Minister Andrew Bowie said: "We are reviving our nuclear industry to deliver net-zero and secure our energy independence, with plans to build new large and small-scale reactors. These upgrades to National Physical Laboratory's neutron facility will enable the safe and efficient operation of our new projects, as we ramp up clean and reliable nuclear power."

UEC to restart Wyoming uranium operation

17 January 2024

First uranium production at Christensen Ranch is expected in August after Uranium Energy Corp's (UEC) board of directors approved restarting the fully permitted and past-producing in-situ leach (ISL) operation - the output will be sold at prevailing spot market prices.

Inside the Christensen Ranch satellite plant (Image: UEC)

Uranium recovered from Christensen Ranch will be processed at the fully operational Irigaray Central Processing Plant. Irigaray, with a licensed capacity of 2.5 million pounds U3O8 (962 tU) per year, is the hub at the centre of the company's Wyoming hub-and-spoke project which includes eleven satellite ISL projects, four of which are fully permitted.

First production will be funded with existing cash on the company's balance sheet and, in line with UEC's strategy to remain 100% unhedged, will be sold at prevailing spot market prices, the company said.

"This is the moment we have been working towards for over a decade," UEC President and CEO Amir Adnani said. "Uranium market fundamentals are the best the industry has witnessed, and various supply shocks have accelerated the bull market with recent prices eclipsing the USD100 per pound level.  With this exciting backdrop, we are pleased to announce our production restart in Wyoming."

Initiatives to resume production are also being advanced at the company's South Texas hub-and-spoke platform, he added.

Extensive preparations, including the re-installation of equipment, re-attachment of piping and a variety of electrical testing, repairs and upgrades to the existing facilities, were completed at the Christensen Ranch wellfields and satellite processing plant last year. Work has also progressed on a detailed wellfield startup plan, drilling to identify additional resources, and submittal of an application to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to expand the Irigaray processing plant's licensed capacity to 4 million pounds U3O8 per year.

UEC took ownership of Irigaray and the orebodies in the Wyoming hub-and-spoke operation, including Christensen Ranch, through its 2021 acquisition of Uranium One Americas Inc from Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom. According to information from the US Energy Information Administration, Christensen Ranch and the Irigaray plant - together known as the Willow Creek project - have been on standby since last operating in 2018.

Operations will initially resume at mine units 7, 8 and 10, UEC said. The company will "in the coming months" provide further information on expected volumes for the first year of production, but is currently focused on the hiring and training of additional operations personnel to augment the company's existing team. It anticipates that new hires will be from local communities.

UEC's Wyoming projects contain total measured and indicated uranium resources of 66.198 million pounds U3O8, with total inferred resources of 15.54 million pounds.

First lead-cooled fast neutron reactor's installation under way

17 January 2024

A steel reactor base plate and the lower tier of the containment has been installed in what is being called a landmark moment for construction of the BREST-OD-300 generation IV fast neutron reactor in Russia.

(Image: Rosatom)

The reactor base plate, weighing 165 tonnes, was delivered to the site in two pieces in September 2022 and has been assembled on site. It is designed to equalise the loads on the foundation from the elements of the reactor vessel. The pouring of concrete for the foundation slab was completed in August 2021. The first part of the reactor vessel, the lower tier of the containment, has also been loaded into the reactor shaft.

The lead-cooled BREST-OD-300 fast reactor is part of Rosatom's Proryv, or Breakthrough, project to enable a closed nuclear fuel cycle. The 300 MWe unit will be the main facility of the Pilot Demonstration Energy Complex at the Siberian Chemical Combine site. The complex will demonstrate an on-site closed nuclear fuel cycle with a facility for the fabrication/re-fabrication of mixed uranium-plutonium nitride nuclear fuel, as well as a used fuel reprocessing facility.

A fuel production facility and an irradiated fuel reprocessing module are scheduled to be built by 2023 and 2024, respectively, while the BREST-OD-300 reactor is expected to start operation in 2026.

Vadim Lemekhov, chief designer of the BREST-OD-300 reactor unit and the project team, said: "We have started installation of the world’s first lead-cooled fast reactor, the fourth generation reactor BREST-OD-300. Unlike traditional light-water VVER thermal reactors, BREST has an integral layout. Its vessel is not an all-metal structure like the VVER, but a metal-concrete structure with metal cavities to accommodate the primary circuit equipment. The space between the cavities should be gradually filled with concrete filler during construction. In addition, the BREST vessel is larger in size, it can be delivered only in parts, and the final assembly is possible only at the construction site."

Fast reactors such as BREST-OD-300 are able to use secondary products from the traditional reactors' fuel cycle, such as plutonium, for their own fuel, as well as being to produce more potential fuel than they consume. The reactor will provide itself with its main energy component - plutonium-239 - by reproducing it from the isotope uranium-238, Russia's fuel company, TVEL, says. As about 99% of natural uranium is uranium-238, Rosatom says "the introduction of such technologies will increase exponentially the efficiency of natural uranium".

According to the World Nuclear Association information paper on fast neutron reactors, "the BREST fast neutron reactor, of 700 MWt, 300 MWe has lead as the primary coolant, at 540°C, and supercritical steam generators. It is inherently safe and uses a mixed uranium and plutonium nitride fuel... no weapons-grade plutonium can be produced, since there is no uranium blanket - all the breeding occurs in the core ... fuel cycle is quoted at 5-6 years with partial refuelling at about 10 months. The initial cores can comprise plutonium and spent fuel - hence loaded with fission products, and radiologically 'hot'. Subsequently, any surplus plutonium, which is not in pure form, can be used as the cores of new reactors. Used fuel can be recycled indefinitely, with onsite facilities. The nitride fuel has been successfully tested in the BN-600 reactor to a burn-up of 7.4%".

Initial operation of the demonstration unit will be focused on performance and after 10 years or so it will be commercially oriented. The plan has been that if it is successful as a 300 MWe unit, a 1200 MWe (2800 MWt) version will follow - the BR-1200.

Nuclear battery: Chinese firm aiming for mass market production

16 January 2024

Beijing Betavolt New Energy Technology Company Ltd claims to have developed a miniature atomic energy battery that can generate electricity stably and autonomously for 50 years without the need for charging or maintenance. It said the battery is currently in the pilot stage and will be put into mass production on the market.

The BV100 battery (Image: Betavolt)

Atomic energy batteries - also known as nuclear batteries or radioisotope batteries - work on the principle of utilising the energy released by the decay of nuclear isotopes and converting it into electrical energy through semiconductor converters.

Betavolt, which was established in April 2021, says its battery "combines nickel-63 nuclear isotope decay technology and China's first diamond semiconductor (4th generation semiconductor) module to successfully realise the miniaturisation of atomic energy batteries".

The company's team of scientists developed a unique single-crystal diamond semiconductor that is just 10 microns thick, placing a 2-micron-thick nickel-63 sheet between two diamond semiconductor converters. The decay energy of the radioactive source is converted into an electrical current, forming an independent unit. Betavolt said its nuclear batteries are modular and can be composed of dozens or hundreds of independent unit modules and can be used in series and parallel, so battery products of different sizes and capacities can be manufactured.

The composition of a nuclear battery (Image: Betavolt)

Betavolt says its batteries can meet the needs of long-lasting power supply in multiple scenarios such as aerospace, AI equipment, medical equipment, micro-electromechanical systems, advanced sensors, small drones and micro-robots. "If policies allow, atomic energy batteries can allow a mobile phone to never be charged, and drones that can only fly for 15 minutes can fly continuously," it said.

The first battery that the company plans to launch is the BV100, which it claims will be the world's first nuclear battery to be mass-produced. Measuring 15mm by 15mm and 5 mm thick, the battery can generate 100 microwatts, with a voltage of 3V. The company plans to launch a 1-watt battery in 2025.

Betavolt says its atomic energy battery is "absolutely safe, has no external radiation, and is suitable for use in medical devices such as pacemakers, artificial hearts, and cochleas in the human body". It adds: "Atomic energy batteries are environmentally friendly. After the decay period, the nickel-63 isotope as the radioactive source turns into a stable isotope of copper, which is non-radioactive and does not pose any threat or pollution to the environment."

The company plans to continue research on using isotopes such as strontium-90, promethium-147 and deuterium to develop atomic energy batteries with higher power and a service life of 2-30 years.

Lotus eyes 2025 for Kayelekera restart

16 January 2024

Lotus Resources has entered the final phase of planning to restart the Kayelekera uranium mine in Malawi in late 2025. The Australian company is also working to optimise resources at Letlhakane in Botswana, with a resource update planned for the first half of this year.

Kayelekera (Image: Lotus)

Managing Director Keith Bowes said the company is focused on restarting Kayelekera "as soon as practicable" to benefit from "strong and increasing" uranium prices. "As such, Lotus is testing the market for debt and is focused on undertaking the necessary planned activities to prepare Kayelekera for a potential restart of production in late 2025 when the supply gap for the nuclear utilities is forecast," he said.

This target date will depend on a number of conditions being met and the successful conclusion of various actions before or as part of a final investment decision (FID), the company said. These include: finalising financing and offtake for the project; signing a power supply and power implementation agreement with Malawian electricity utility ESCOM; a front-end engineering and design programme leading directly into the detailed engineering design phase for the execution of the restart plan, which will amongst other things enable a budget to be prepared for the restart and validate timelines; and the completion of negotiations on a mine development agreement and associated fiscal regime with the Government of Malawi.

These workstreams have been prioritised so that an FID can be made as soon as possible, the company said.

Kayelekera, which is 85% owned by Lotus, has a current resource of 51.1 million pounds U3O8 (19,655 tU). The project, which Lotus acquired from Paladin Energy in 2020, produced around 11 million pounds U3O8 between 2009 and 2014, when it was placed on care and maintenance.

Letlhakane update
 

Work at Letlhakane - acquired through Lotus's 2023 merger with A-Cap Energy - will aim to determine if a more effective processing route can be identified to improve the project economics of the 2015 feasibility study, which had envisaged a heap leach process. This will include updating the Letlhakane mineral resource model and undertaking preliminary test work to determine the potential of upgrading Letlhakane ore, Bowes said.

"While Letlhakane is considered the longer term asset, Lotus remains focused on restarting the Kayelekera Project as soon as practicable to benefit from the current strong and increasing uranium prices. As such, Lotus is testing the market for debt and is focused on undertaking the necessary planned activities to prepare Kayelekera for a potential restart of production in late 2025 when the supply gap for the nuclear utilities is forecast," he added.

Newcleo and Naarea launch Gen-IV partnership

16 January 2024

France's Naarea and the UK-headquartered Newcleo have announced a strategic and industrial partnership designed "to support all players in their industrial, technological, scientific and regulatory development" of Generation IV fast neutron reactors.

Newcleo's chairman and CEO (Image: Newcleo)

The companies say that the partnership will be open to others to join and said it will focus on key areas where there are common interests, such as gaining access to the used nuclear fuel from conventional nuclear reactors that their Gen-IV reactors are designed to use as part of their efforts to close the fuel cycle.

Other areas of cooperation are the development of a joint research and development platform for areas such as heat exchangers and materials, and working together to unlock financing and funding for both the research and for the fuel cycle infrastructure that will be required.

They also propose to cooperate on the industrial development front with regulators and on "providing access to scientific computing tools particularly for safety demonstrations, making test centre sites available for future prototypes and developing and implementing shared test facilities".

Newcleo is planning a 30 MWe lead-cooled fast neutron test reactor in France in 2030, with a 200 MWe first-of-a-kind commercial unit planned for the UK in 2032. Naarea is developing a 40 MWe/80 MWt molten salt fast neutron reactor with a target of 2027 for a prototype and by 2030 for construction of a manufacturing facility and launch of series production.

Stefano Buono, Newcleo chairman and CEO, said that by joining forces the two companies were "further encouraging the development and deployment of Gen-IV nuclear technology in Europe. This collaboration reinforces our shared commitment to innovation and sustainability in the nuclear sector".

Jean-Luc Alexandre, chairman and founder of Naarea, said the two firms were "creating momentum to accelerate their development by providing a joint and coordinated response to the demands of public authorities for a unified voice to express common needs. Our two companies want to simplify the work of public authorities and ultimately promote the development and deployment of Gen-IV nuclear power in Europe, against a backdrop of strong global competition".

Researched and written by World Nuclear News