THORIUM AS AN ENERGY SOURCE - Opportunities for Norway ...

Thorium as an Energy Source - Opportunities for Norway
12. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Energy Demand and Consumption: There is a prevailing belief that the current model for the
world’s energy policy is not sustainable. The major reasons are well known: rising greenhouse gas
emissions and their negative impact on the climate, as well as concerns regarding the security of
energy supply at affordable prices in the context of increasing needs of energy, notably in
developing countries that are enjoying rapid economic growth.
Recommendation 1: No technology should be idolized or demonized. All carbon-dioxide (CO2)
emission free energy production technologies should be considered. The potential contribution of
nuclear energy to a sustainable energy future should be recognized.
Resources: According to US Geological Survey (2007), Norway is known to have the third to
sixth largest thorium resources in the world. These resources, i.e. 170 000 tonnes, have a
potential energy content which is about 100 times larger than all the oil extracted by Norway to
date as well as the remaining reserves, 4 250 million m 3 . The information on thorium resources in
Norway is, however, based on investigations carried out some 25 to 60 years ago, and no specific
thorium exploitation has ever been carried out.
Recommendation 2: Investigation of the resources in the Fen Complex and other sites in
Norway should be performed. It is essential to assess whether thorium in Norwegian rocks can be
defined as an economical asset for the benefit of future generations. Furthermore, the application
of new technologies for the extraction of thorium from the available mineral sources should be
studied.
Thorium Fuel: In the 1960s and 70s, the development of thorium fuel for nuclear energy was of
great interest worldwide. It was shown that thorium could be used practically in any type of
existing reactor. Thorium fuel production and the technical feasibility of the use of thorium in
conventional reactors were also demonstrated. Thorium fuel has been tested in the Halden
Reactor on several occasions. Due to the worldwide focus on uranium, modern technologies such
as automated fuel processing have not been tested on thorium.
Recommendation 3: Testing of thorium fuel in the Halden Reactor should be encouraged,
taking benefit of the well recognized nuclear fuel competence in Halden.
Reactor Technology: Today, most of the reactors in operation are of the Generation II type,
while new constructions will be based on Generation III and III+, which are significantly
improved with respect to safety, security and economics. The next generation reactors, Generation
IV, which are currently being developed, are expected to be commercially available in 25 – 30
years. Among the Generation IV reactors, the high temperature reactors, fast breeder reactors
and molten salt reactors are most suitable for the use of thorium. Within the GIF (Generation IV
International Forum), the use of thorium is only explicitly considered in Molten Salt Reactors.
However, this concept is at present not prioritized.
Recommendation 4: Norway should strengthen its international collaboration by joining the
Euratom fission program and the GIF program on Generation IV reactors suitable for the use of
thorium.
Accelerator Driven System (ADS) Concept: The ADS concept has been generically developed
since 1990, but the construction of a prototype has not yet been launched. An ADS fuelled with
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