WPenner's Blog

image: U-Battery

I have a non-professional interest in nuclear power as one of the highest density power sources we have yet discovered. Its carbon emissions rating is lower than hydro and despite dramatic accidents and contrary to the histrionic reporting, kills fewer people per year than any other form of energy generation. Any environmentalist that has taken a serious look at nuclear compared to other power sources has acknowledged that it is a clean source of energy.

Which makes the Canadian Federal Government's recent announcement of $CAD6.5 billion over the next 5 years in tax credits for small modular reactors (SMRs) a major victory for power in Canada. ¹

For those coming up to speed, SMRs are a 4th generation nuclear technology that uses reactor modules small enough for shipping in a shipping container. Each module either stands alone or combines with other modules. Installed underground and designed to shut down naturally if things go wrong, their safety factor is extremely high, even for an industry where safety is already incredibly high.

MYTH: We don't have a solution to nuclear's "waste problem"

REALITY: Nuclear waste isn't a problem. In fact, it’s the best solution we have to meeting our energy needs while protecting the natural environment!

Here's what you need to know:

— Madi Hilly (@MadiHilly) July 21, 2022

Madi Hilly's thread highlights how the nuclear problems most people believe exist are more a matter of terrible publicity than actual danger. Nuclear looks set to become a viable option for many states around the world soon and Canada can provide clean, safe, and ethical SMRs around the world or allow far less savoury regimes to corner the market.

Canada & SMRs

Canada's been moving forward on SMR technology for a while now. In March, 2022, four of Canada's provinces (Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan) announced adopter plans for SMRs according to this news release. The work started in late 2019 by Ontario, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, and Alberta joined in 2021. Besides creating a path for the new technology, participants aim to create exportable knowledge and technology that put Canada at the forefront of the world stage.

The Government of Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan highlights SMR technology amongst other options for reducing Canada's carbon footprint. The government articulates a commitment to working with a broad range of stakeholders, including provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples and communities, industry, innovators, laboratories, academia, and civil society. This is all fine posturing, but tax credits take such rhetoric and put it into practicable terms.

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) named GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy their development partner for Canada's first grid-scale SMR. The Darlington nuclear site is where Ontario will develop the plant. Another demonstration site at Chalk River Laboratories, Ontario, has OPG and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation in a joint venture called Global First Power. They intend to show off-grid feasibility with the project. ²

Capacity & Capability

SMRs produce a maximum of 300 megawatts, sufficient to run 300,000 homes. Their size makes them suitable for off-grid communities and resource projects. They can also power small grids, replacing diesel generation used in mining or remote communities, or joined to establish larger power grids.

Besides electricity, SMRs can produce heat, which is useful for residential applications, heavy industry, transport, and fuel production, such as hydrogen and synthetic fuels. Chemical, cement, steel, aluminum, mining, desalination and oil sands are all potential applications for SMRs.

The Liberal government has shown great resolve to remove oil and gas as Canadian power sources and future governments are likely to continue this trend. Despite improvements in wind and solar, they continue to be low efficiency and density, intermittent (only when windy or during the day), dangerous (for wildlife and humans), and sport increasing difficulties around the environmental impact of the chemicals required to create batteries. For small communities, SMRs could be the difference between fading into irrelevance and long-term population and business growth.