Abundant harnessed energy at low cost and low risk from nuclear fission

Abstract

The conversion of matter into energy in the fission process can provide plentiful supplies of energy in the future. The theoretical yields are enormous, and even practical yields are tens of thousands of times higher than chemical energy yields from ordinary combustion. The Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, with 2056 MWatts net electric generating capacity, is now the largest in the world. This station cost 746 million dollars or 363 dollars per electrical kW capacity. This is a reasonable cost, but Pickering is only a beginning, and lower cost energy lies ahead. Such energy will be utilized partially in making synthetic liquid hydrocarbon fuels to compete with natural petroleum products. As for the problem of radioactive wastes, the golden rule for living with radioactive materials is to keep them out of food chains. This is not as difficult as scaremongers suggest, or as some of the inexperienced (including some scientists) may suppose.