– We will never manage the green transition without nuclear power. That’s what professor at NTNU, Jan Emblemsvåg, says. He believes that we must now discuss the green transition, and dare to have a real discussion about nuclear power in Norway. – We have to get rid of all the views. If we are to reach Norway’s climate goals, we must discuss nuclear power, it’s that simple, says Emblemsvåg. Concretely, the professor is thinking about salt melting reactors based on the element thorium. Norway has the third largest deposit of thorium in the world and can in theory replace all Norwegian energy production for 2000 years. Thorium Thorium is a radioactive element that we find, among other things, in rock and stone. It is a so-called fertile substance, which means that it cannot be split directly. Must be ignited In order to be used in nuclear power, it needs to be ignited with a neutron. The cheapest and easiest way to do this is to expose it to the isotope uranium 235, which is highly radioactive and is currently used in normal nuclear power plants. By starting this reaction, thorium will be converted into uranium 233, which can split and release enormous amounts of energy. Harmless Thorium in itself is harmless, while uranium is highly radioactive and dangerous. Thorium can be found in all rock types, usually in small concentrations. Among other things, thorium has been found in Høgtuva in Nordland, Ytterøya in Trøndelag and around the Oslofjord area in various places. The largest deposit of thorium can be found in the fen field in Telemark. All over the world Thorium is found all over the world in large quantities, while uranium resources are a scarce resource. It is useful as a fuel in nuclear power because it can be converted into uranium, but has only half the half-life. Never been more relevant In order to be able to continue consuming as we do, at the same time as greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced, the world needs alternative sources of energy. Jan Emblemsvåg believes it is madness not to have a proper discussion about nuclear power plants in Norway. Photo: Remi Sagen / news The debate about nuclear power is quickly dying out in Norway, despite the fact that the topic has never been more relevant than now. War in Europe, greenhouse gas emissions, high electricity prices and a lack of power once again make nuclear power a solution. The challenges with today’s nuclear power is that nuclear waste is produced, which must be handled and stored. And many are worried about the consequences if something goes wrong. Professor Emblemsvåg therefore believes that salt melting reactors based on the element thorium are the answer. He says that with this technology the negatives of nuclear power will be non-existent. Completely safe – A molten salt reactor is completely safe. It is as certain as the laws of gravity working, claims Emblemsvåg. He explains that a reactor of this type rests at a high temperature and when it is used, the temperature drops. It will never reach a boiling point and thus you will never get a boiling situation, which you can get in old nuclear power plants. – It also generates much less waste, the best figures I have seen say 98 per cent less waste than today’s nuclear power plants. Waste from such a facility is microscopic compared to solar and wind power, he says. Worth more than oil and gas Emblemsvåg says that the value of Norway’s thorium is tens of times greater than all the oil and gas income Norway has had until now. And reacts to the fact that the politicians do not welcome a strong debate. – Imagine that! Enough energy to run Norway for 2,000 years, and there are people sitting in Oslo who say we shouldn’t discuss this? It is complete madness, argues Emblemsvåg. He believes that by expanding nuclear power plants with salt fusion reactors on thorium, you will get a cost price of 30 øre per kilowatt hour, which is lower than producing hydropower. Since nuclear power plants are not dependent on the weather, you will have a stable electricity price throughout the country. – Nuclear power is the most democratic power there is. Thorium is found all over the world, it may be the end of a few countries being able to dominate the industry. Professor Emblemsvåg explains that we have enough uranium on earth to power the energy consumption of humanity for 4 billion years if modern nuclear power is used. – It is the only solution we have to bring about a major change in CO₂ emissions on earth. Far into the future One person who does not share Emblemsvåg’s enthusiasm is Ole C. Reistad, head of the Department of Environmental Safety and Radiation Protection at the Department of Energy Engineering. Ole C. Reistad believes that there is too much uncertainty around salt melting reactors for him to believe that it is the way out of the energy crisis. Photo: Press photo Reistad believes there is a very long way to go before salt fusion reactors can be put into use. – If the technology had been there, it would have been a good solution, but it is very far in the future. And that is the most important argument against the salt melting reactors, says Reistad. He believes most of what is missing to be able to realize Emblemsvåg’s ideas. In a so-called molten salt reactor, the fuel will be liquid. We do not yet have a solution for storing the liquid waste, he believes. Nor have we found materials that hold up against salt for a long time. – This is not the future. There are too many unresolved questions related to safety and handling of waste, says Reistad. Knowledge gaps In 2008, an investigation was carried out into opportunities and risks linked to the use of thorium for energy production in Norway. The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy commissioned the Research Council of Norway to set up a committee to prepare such a study. It was also the year the USA openly published its research results on thorium and salt fusion reactors. Money was set aside in the state budget for 2015, but was taken out in the revised one. – We have far too little knowledge about this. Driving innovation on things that can have consequences for the environment takes time, which we don’t have to solve the energy problem, says Reistad. Finland has opened its first reactor in 40 years. The nuclear power plant is located on the island of Olkiluoto, 25 km north of the town of Raumo in southwestern Finland. Photo: Kimmo Hiltunen / YLE Can do it before 2030 Here, Emblemsvåg disagrees with Reistad. He says that there are some knowledge gaps, but that we have come much further than we were when we started with oil and gas in 1969. – If we buy ready-made reactors from other countries, hire the expertise until we build ourselves up, we can have such a facility ready by 2030, says Emblemsvåg and adds that this is not something you do half-heartedly. – We have to build up teaching, development and research. A big industry, but that’s what I think we need after oil and gas. But then we have to debate it, says Emblemsvåg. Both Sweden and Finland are building nuclear power plants. The nuclear power enthusiasts in Norway believe we must look to our neighbours. Illustration: MIDJOURNEY Frp wants to research thorium In the Frp’s party program it is written that they want more research on thorium as fuel for nuclear power plants. Some also take the floor that it must be discussed whether we should build nuclear power plants in Norway. Storting representative Dagfinn Olsen from Nordland believes that in the long term we will have to use nuclear power in Norway. – We see it in the countries around us and we must be open to it here as well. All experience shows that there is very rarely any danger. Storting politician Dagfinn Olsen in the Frp. Photo: Mathias Mikalsen / news Olsen says that the FRP also misses a proper debate about nuclear power and the alternatives. He believes that it must be part of the overall calculation if one is to solve the future’s energy needs without oil, gas and coal. – We cannot be so blue-eyed that we can destroy Norwegian nature with wind farms uncritically, but we must not consider something that other nations have done over several generations, says Olsen. Why do Norwegian environmental protection organizations not want to hear talk of nuclear power as part of the solution to the climate problem? Program leader Andreas Wahl checks out how dangerous nuclear power actually is. NOTE: This program has received criticism from the Press’ Professional Committee for insufficient checking of factual information in a statement from a source in the program.
ttn-69
Researcher at NTNU believes we must invest in nuclear power and thorium to tackle the energy crisis – news Nordland
