Andrew Yang's $50 Billion in advanced-atomic R&D funding are not needed to see a Thorium Reactor (or many other Advanced Reactor designs) come to market. Without intelligently targetted funding, we won't likely see them by 2027, but we will see them.
We will see them unless The United States, once again, abruptly pivots away from in-development nuclear technologies.
We will see them unless The United States, once again, abruptly pivots away from in-development nuclear technologies.
This happened in 1971, when President Nixon narrowed down breeder research from Fast-Spectrum Uranium-Plutonium and also Thermal-Spectrum Thorium-U233, to only Fast-Spectrum Uranium-Plutonium. (This is why we do not already have Thorium Reactors.)
This happened in 1977, when President Carter indefinitely banned the reprocessing of nuclear fuel, making fast-spectrum reactors only more effecient than conventional reactors, and not a means of recycling nuclear waste. (It was allowed again by President Regan, lifting the ban in 1981.) President Carter's preferred energy solution was coal.
This happened in 1994, when Congress under President Clinton cancelled fast-spectrum Clinch River 3 years before completion.
►
The value Andrew Yang brought to the energy discussion is the very same point raised at the end of "Pandora's Box", a 6 hour miniseries created by the BBC in 1992. The statement made by historian Joseph Morone (at 43m25s) is exactly 2.5 minutes long. (Deep link.)
Andrew Yang pointed out, not only is nuclear power required, and is nuclear power safe... nuclear power is what we demand of it.
That recognition is all it takes for America (and the world) to have a bright, clean future of affordable energy.
That recognition is all it takes for America (and the world) to have a bright, clean future of affordable energy.
►
This is a rather detailed video I made concerning The Thorium Reactor. I've deep-linked past the pre-credit sequence, and into the opening titles... many people otherwise mistake the opening credits for the end credits.
To support my educational and communication efforts, pledge $1/year. Thanks, -Gord