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Dr. Dan Meneley

Canadian Nuclear Society Presentation

Annual conference, May 24, 2010.

"Nuclear Energy in this Century, A Bird in the Hand"

This presentation reviews the past half-century of nuclear energy from one person’s point of view, fully recognizing likely errors in fact and perception. It also takes a look at the coming 50 years of our enterprise. The future will demand a lot from nuclear technology, given the decline in the availability of cheap fossil fuels and the expected rising need for energy. We can supply safe and reliable energy for thousands of years, if such is necessary. Uncertainty remains in the short term regarding the support of the people and of the governments who serve them.

Slide show, "Is There Enough Nuclear Fuel?

Running Out of Uranium? No!

The ocean is the ULTIMATE closing argument against the naysayers who claim that we'll soon run out of uranium. The fact that with the IFR we can live essentially forever (God Willing) without this source is really unimportant.

If the Japanese are concerned about pumping power to move seawater past their adsorbers, a fast reactor does that free gratis -- at least twice as much dissolved uranium passes through the CCW in a year as is required to keep the plant running. Screens can be placed downstream, and that is the end of the problem of energy supply to the world -- forever, Amen.

Even if the recovered uranium were priced at half the price of gold, this would not change the price of electricity even by one cent per kwh if fast reactors are used. As a wrap-up, the earth's rivers continuously replenish the ocean's uranium - and the ocean bottom does the same by leaching from the rock.

THE MESSAGE IS: DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ENERGY SUPPLY IN THE FUTURE. YOU ALREADY HAVE IT.

Just in case our descendants do not come up with anything better (and I expect they will) this source is available as backup.

Transition to Large Scale Nuclear Energy Supply

D.A. Meneley, Engineer Emeritus
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

Abstract

We can expect to see the peak of world oil production very soon. Some say that we can see that peak now in our rear-view mirrors as we drive into an oil-poor future. Natural gas already is in short supply in North America. Nuclear energy must make up the lion’s share of the world’s energy deficit.