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China Ignites Clean Energy Future With Thorium Reactor
29 Nov
Summary
- China successfully loaded fuel into the world's first working thorium molten salt reactor.
- Thorium reactors produce less, shorter-lived radioactive waste than uranium.
- China is expanding thorium tech to container ships and larger power plants.
Scientists in China have reached a major milestone in clean energy by constructing and fueling the world's first operational thorium molten salt reactor (MSR). This development marks a significant departure from traditional uranium-based nuclear power, which generates long-lived, highly radioactive waste and poses proliferation risks. Thorium, conversely, offers a path to reduced, less radioactive waste with a shorter decay period and is more challenging to weaponize.
The reactor, located in the Gobi Desert with a two-megawatt output, builds upon research initiated decades ago in the United States. Chinese researchers have not only replicated but also advanced the foundational MSR technology. Fission using thorium is presented as a more economical and environmentally sound energy source compared to fossil fuels, producing no planet-warming pollution.
China is demonstrating its commitment to thorium energy by developing a larger, ten-megawatt reactor slated for operation by 2030. Furthermore, the nation plans to equip container ships with thorium power, a move expected to significantly curb the annual 80 million tons of carbon pollution from maritime transport. This initiative is part of China's broader strategy to diversify its clean energy infrastructure, solidifying its global leadership in renewable technologies.
