I don't care if Bill Gates believes in man-caused global warming, he is right about at least one creative and practical response to the energy problem: The former Microsoft head has teamed up with Toshiba and--putting his money behind his ideas--is figuring out how to make the small nuclear reactor, via "Traveling Wave Reactor" technology, a business reality.
Toshiba's model nuclear reactor
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal has noticed the opportunity, too, publishing an op-ed today by Steven Chu, U.S. Secretary of Energy. "Small modular reactors would be less than one-third the size of current plants. They (would) have compact designs and could be made in factories and transported to sites by truck or rail."
My own dream is something even smaller: a nice, safe nuke for a neighborhood or city district. Even your private basement. ("The Bloom Box.")
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