MIT ASKS: Can Better Power Plant Designs Stimulate Nuclear Energy?

February 1, 2015 Question of the Week

Hello, Insiders, In this feature, we take on big technology questions by highlighting the latest research and other developments. This week, we ask: Can Better Power Plant Designs Stimulate Nuclear Energy? Even though nuclear power plants don’t emit carbon dioxide, their appeal is still limited in certain countries. For one thing, getting power from nuclear tends to cost more than deriving electricity from burning coal or natural gas. And of course fears linger about its safety and the dangers of nuclear waste. After the partial meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi plant in 2011, many countries rethought nuclear power. Germany, as one example, decided to decommission all its nuclear plants by 2022. Read it now » See all Question of the Week stories » We invite you to join the conversation by using the comments function at the bottom of the story. And if you have an idea for a question, send recommendations to questionoftheweek@technologyreview.com