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Iran shuts down most of its nuclear program
Iran promised to shut down the majority of its nuclear program in return for an end to stiff economic sanctions, and it's making good on its word. International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have confirmed that Iran is meeting its end of a 2015 deal that will limit its ability to produce nuclear weapons. The terms had it shut down two thirds of its nuclear centrifuges, eliminate 98 percent of its low-enriched uranium supplies, halt construction of a key reactor and curb both its refinement as well as its research for the next 15 years. It's also subject to tighter inspections that theoretically prevent it from restarting weapons development within the next 25 years.
Obama's 2012 budget includes push for 'mini-nuke' reactor development
The President revealed his 2012 budget proposal today, including $853 million for nuclear energy research -- which includes development of "mini-nukes," or small, modular reactors that can be shipped and deployed relatively quickly, and built relatively cheaply (up to $2 billion, as opposed to the $10 billion price tag of your traditional reactor). But don't get excited -- you won't likely be able to get your own backyard reactor just yet. For the time being, they're to be placed in existing large-scale labs like the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. It is hoped that the reactors will bring a 28 percent reduction of the Energy Department's carbon footprint by 2020.
Duke study finds solar power cheaper than nuclear, Coach K stronger than Roy
Now, before you get all hot and bothered here, we should warn you that this study only uses information from within the great state of North Carolina (where Duke University is based, obviously), but the results are intriguing regardless. According to new data, the moment we're living in is a crossover one where the declining prices of solar panels may actually make sun-based energy more cost efficient to consider than nuclear. Duke found that the crossover price point was at around 16 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), and for the first time ever in NC, the cost of one kWh of electricity from solar energy sunk below that. Of course, these results are apt to be even more impressive in sun-rich states like Arizona, Nevada and Utah, but it's fairly clear what the real purpose of the investigation was: convincing the school to shell out for solar panels to energize Krzyzewskiville during week-long campouts for UNC vs. Duke tickets.
Toshiba and Bill Gates-backed TerraPower discussing small-scale nuclear reactors
It would seem that Toshiba hasn't given up on its dream of producing a nuclear reactor for the home, and its latest potential partner counts quite the big name among its backers. Run by a former Microsoft exec and partially funded by Bill Gates himself, TerraPower is said to have opened preliminary discussions with Toshiba regarding a possible joint venture between the two companies. The aim is, predictably, to make safer, smaller, more socially acceptable, and just plain better reactors. TerraPower boasts its tech can run without refueling for up to 60 years on depleted uranium and Bill Gates has gotten enthusiastic enough about the whole thing to give a 30-minute talk on the matter. Click past the break for the video.
Dubious 1980's in-home nuclear reactor ad from Japan
Back in the carefree but confusing days of the 1980's, chicks and dudes were looking for all kinds of new ways to lessen their need for oil-based energy. If you believe anything you see in this ad mockup (and that's a big "if"), a company in Japan was working on a tiny, in-home nuclear reactor -- pleasantly named Chernobyl. We'll have to assume for the moment that this was pre-catastrophic meltdown, when the Russian power-plant was considered a feat of modern engineering instead of just a big, mutant-making hellride. The device supposedly would have been "simple to operate, even for children and the elderly", but carried an ominous warning to "discontinue use" if you experience "dizziness or a tingling sensation". Was this for real? Read the translation and judge for yourself.
