The U.S. Department of Energy awarded $36 million for research to increase the use of nuclear power as a source of clean energy and limit the amount of waste reactors produce.
Eleven projects will be funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy to increase the nation’s largest domestic source of clean energy, the Department of Energy said in a release about the financial award.
This project will lower the waste burden and sustain the future deployment of carbon-free nuclear power.
“Developing novel approaches to safely manage nuclear waste will enable us to power even more homes and businesses in America with carbon-free nuclear energy,” Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of Energy, said in the release. “ARPA-E is doing just that by supporting companies and universities that are working on next-generation technologies to modernize advanced reactors and strengthen the nation’s clean energy enterprise.”
Nuclear power produces approximately one-fifth of electricity for the U.S. and 50% of its carbon-free electricity. But it also produces waste that must be disposed of and stored safely.
Safely managing nuclear waste will power even more homes with carbon-free nuclear energy, the Department of Energy said.
The 11 teams will work to resolve challenges with advanced reactor fuel cycles to cut nuclear waste and support sustainable domestic fuel stocks by developing technologies, the Department of Energy said.
