DOE Announces $40 Million to Reduce Fuel Waste From Advanced Nuclear Reactors
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced up to $40 million in funding for a new Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program that will limit the amount of waste produced from advanced nuclear reactors, protecting the land and air and increasing the deployment and use of nuclear power as a reliable source of clean energy.
“More than half of our zero carbon energy is generated from nuclear power, and through this groundbreaking research we can expand nuclear's potential,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “America is an innovation leader, and DOE is proud to invest in the next generation of nuclear energy technologies that will power the nation and protect our environment.”
Nuclear power is one of the most reliable sources of energy in America, and the largest domestic source of clean energy—providing 52% of the nation’s carbon-free electricity in 2020, and about a fifth of U.S. electricity overall. Nuclear power production, however, produces approximately 2,000 metric tons of used fuel each year that must be disposed and safely stored.
As advanced nuclear reactor technologies move from research and development phases to deployment, ARPA-E’s new “Optimizing Nuclear Waste and Advanced Reactor Disposal Systems” (ONWARDS) program addresses challenges posed by the limited disposal options for spent nuclear fuel through the development of novel processes and applications at the start of a fuel cycle that prevents the formation of nuclear waste.
energy.gov
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