China Takes Lead in Race for Clean Nuclear Power

In the race to develop new sources of green energy, China pursues research on thorium – more abundant than uranium – for nuclear power. “While nearly all current nuclear reactors run on uranium, the radioactive element thorium is recognized as a safer, cleaner and more abundant alternative fuel,” writes author Richard Martin for Wired.com. “Designing a thorium-based molten-salt reactor could place China at the forefront of the race to build environmentally safe, cost-effective and politically palatable reactors.” The US abandoned its thorium research after the 1970s; since then, India, Norway and France explore fuel cycles relying on thorium. Martin concludes, “According to thorium advocates, the United States could find itself 20 years from now importing technology originally developed nearly four decades ago at one of America’s premier national R&D facilities.” – YaleGlobal