It's
possible Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Toshiba have opened
dialogue to create a next-generation nuclear reactor able to
run up to 100 years before it needs to be refueled, according
to Japanese media reports.
Gates' TerraPower and Toshiba's
Westinghouse reactor design company plan to develop the uranium-based
Traveling-Wave Reactor (TWR) with 100,000 Kilowatts up to 1 million
KW support.
Until something is official between the two
sides, and Toshiba will continue development on a reactor that needs
to be refueled once every 30 years. The Super-Safe, Small and
Simple (4S) reactor is an ultra compact reactor that will likely have
U.S. approval before the end of the year.
If there are no
major hiccups, the reactor will be available before 2014.
Today's
units need to be refueled every few years – using fuel based from
depleted uranium can last significantly longer. There is
special need for these mini-reactors in developing nations, analysts
say, with the price tag expected to lower in the future.
Since
leaving his day-to-day role in Microsoft, Gates has become more
involved in numerous other projects, including running his own
charity along with overseeing TerraPower. He is expected to
invest millions of his own personal money into TWR development, which
will help bring additional attention to the technology.
Gates
aims to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050, with TerraPower and
other companies looking for the next major breakthrough.
