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Do you have a source for this? To my knowledge, uranium would run out in a decade or two if one would use it to supply 100% of the world primary energy consumpt
by fsh 5y ago
Do you have a source for this? To my knowledge, uranium would run out in a decade or two if one would use it to supply 100% of the world primary energy consumption [1]. Coal is obviously way more abundant.
[1] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-will-global-uranium-deposits-last/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-will-glo...
- mlindner 5y agoPop science articles like that mistake "proven reserves" with "how much is actually in the ground". When geopolitics talks they look at proven reserves as that's how much we know is available and accessible in the short term, but it's not how much is actually available. Proven reserves expand whenever there is a shortage as effort is made to find additional amounts of the stuff. Additionally, most countries in the world don't even bother to look as they don't have nuclear technology of their own and there is so little demand for it. This is why for example we keep finding additional coal and oil as known reserves run out.
- whatever1 5y agoSo now we went from abundant down to potentially abundant.
- catlikesshrimp 5y agoThen it makes sense to build as many plants as there is fuel to run them.
- mlindner 5y agoAdding: your link is from 2009, so is rather out of date. Here's some more info: https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/uranium-resources/supply-of-uranium.aspx https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-c...
- fsh 5y agoI would argue that 2009 is not very much out of date when it comes to geology research. The sources also agree with each other: Scientific American: "According to the NEA, identified uranium resources total 5.5 million metric tons, and an additional 10.5 million metric tons remain undiscovered" World Nuclear Association: 8 million tonnes "reasonably assured and inferred resources". This does not change the conclusion that the uranium would run out in less than 20 years if used to supply 100% of the earth's primary energy consumption.
- adrianN 5y agoYour article also mentions the solution to the fuel problem: Not throwing away almost all the energy, but instead using breeder reactors to extract it.