The Future of Energy: Where is Nuclear Fission Heading?

What would cheap, abundant energy enable us to do? Explore the frontier of space. Discover other life in the universe? Live forever? End poverty and world hunger?

Or is it a pipedream?

Over the next few weeks, I’ll discuss the energy sources that we will see in the future and their characteristics. Will these energy production methods provide us with cheap, clean energy for thousands of years? Let’s find out.

Related Posts (Read these first!):

· Nuclear Fuel Cycle

· Nuclear vs Fossil Fuels

---

Nuclear Fission – Who Looks On The Industry Favourably?

Nuclear fission is the process of a singular heavy nucleus splitting into two or more lighter nuclei. This process also releases energy. This is how the nuclear power industry works, and how atomic bombs work. Check out my work above on the nuclear fuel cycle to find out all about this process.

Where is committing to nuclear fission, or even considering it as part of the solution?

· China. – Twenty-three new reactors are planned between 2023 and 2028. A very ambitious endeavour by the Chinese and if executed successfully will surely become a leader in global nuclear power production.

· France. – One new reactor is planned for 2024. France made a big push for nuclear in the 1970s during the OPEC oil embargo. Nuclear was the strategy France chose to increase nuclear independence. Nuclear still accounts for 68% of annual electricity production (as of 2021).

Photo by Kilian Karger on Unsplash

· Russia. – Three reactors planned. Two in 2025 and one in 2026.

· Bangladesh. – Two reactors under construction, starting in 2023 and 2024.

· UK. – Two reactors planned for 2027, and 2028.

· India. – Eight reactors are under construction, with two planned during each of the following years: 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027.

· South Korea. – Three reactors are under construction, starting with two this year, and one in 2024.

· Turkey. – Four reactors are planned for 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

· Egypt. – Three reactors planned. One in 2028 and two in 2030.

These nations are building or have proposed plans to construct nuclear power plants in the future. The following countries are also weighing up their options in the energy transition and consider nuclear fission to be an option: