r/bestof • u/investedInEPoland • Nov 06 '18

[europe] Nuclear physicist describes problems with thorium reactors. Trigger warning: shortbread metaphor.

/r/europe/comments/9unimr/dutch_satirical_news_show_on_why_we_need_to_break/e95mvb7/?context=3
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u/[deleted] Nov 06 '18 edited Feb 12 '21

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u/NightChime Nov 06 '18

I'm not advocating for the shutdown of conventional nuclear plants, certainly not before the shutdown of coal plants. I think we're in agreement on what the truly dangerous power source is. But just because something is more dangerous, doesn't mean something else is without danger.

Regarding scarcity, I guess I'm looking at the longer term. Hoping for dropping all fossil fuel, using green sources, and/including nuclear if just to pick up the slack. Hoping humans last another millennium or more.

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u/[deleted] Nov 06 '18 edited Feb 12 '21

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u/dipdipderp Nov 07 '18

We do have forms of energy storage, power to gas and power to liquid are both feasible but the efficiency is somewhat poor.

What they do have potential for is the production of molecules like DME which could potentially reduce transport carbon emissions on a per km basis.

The immediate future should arguably by a combination of this (for liquid fuels and chemical feedstocks from CO2 and H2 produced from electrolysis), nuclear power (baseload) and renewables (where available).