Several universities will start using tiny nuclear reactors that produce electricity. These reactors can be delivered on trucks.
According to AP News, this is a small amount of electricity, but it’s enough to run a small campus, hospital, or military complex.
“The University of Illinois hopes to advance the technology as part of a clean energy future, Brooks said. The school plans to apply for a construction permit for a high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor developed by the Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation, and aims to start operating it by early 2028. Brooks is the project lead.”
These microreactors can be built into factories and hooked up on-site. The goal is to use nuclear energy on demand as a product. The reactors can complement renewable energy by providing a lot of power without taking up a lot of land. For example, a 10-megawatt microreactor takes up less than an acre, which is much less compared to solar farms and windmills.
The University of Illinois and Penn State are only some of the universities that plan to use nuclear power. And they aren’t the only ones. The Department of Defense is also working on a microreactor.
Some scientists are warning microreactors will need more uranium to be mined. These microreactors can also be targets for terrorist attacks, so it’s crucial to make sure they are safe.
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