How China hopes to play a leading role in developing next-generation nuclear reactors
- Researchers have ambitious plans that could pave the way for cleaner, safer and more efficient reactors that could cut reliance on fossil fuels
- China hopes to take prominent role in international collaboration designed to develop fourth-generation technology
China is pushing ahead with ambitious plans for its nuclear industry, including developing cleaner and safer next-generation technology.
A particular focus is a plan to develop the world’s first large-scale thorium-powered, molten-salt reactors – which could generate less radioactive waste and help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels to reduce the world’s energy needs – by 2020.
The head of one of the country’s research programmes said Chinese researchers had mastered the technology in laboratories and now aimed to be the first in the world to make it commercially viable.
Laurence Leung, a scientist with the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, said China “is also leading the development of a few other models” and “is putting a lot of resources” into developing fourth-generation nuclear power.
At present the country relies on nuclear technology from the United States and France, but hopes the heavy investment will allow it to play a leading role in the multinational Generation-IV International Forum.
The forum, a 14-member intergovernmental R&D collaboration, aims to pool resources, allowing scientists to develop safer and cheaper next-generation systems.
