Energy experts warn that a sharp shortage of uranium is going to hit the nuclear energy industry. Dr Yogi Goswami, co-director of the Clean Energy Research Centre at the University of Florida warns that “the confirmed reserves of uranium will last less than 30 years.” Current nuclear plants use around 67,000 tonnes of high-grade uranium per year. With present uranium deposit in the planet having been predictable at 4-5 million tones, this means the present resources would last 42 years. But if there is going to be a stepping up of nuclear energy plants, as seem to be the case, then the likelihood is that that the time distance is going to be considerably reduced. Dr Goswami who is the discoverer of the a new thermodynamic cycle for solar thermal power now called the Goswami Thermodynamic cycle, says, “by 2050, all confirmed and undiscovered reserves of uranium will be over.”
“Other choice for producing uranium will be available. For example, three parts per billion of sea water is uranium but the costs of improving this uranium are so high that it is unlikely to prove an unviable option,” he said. Dr Goswami agreed that atomic fuel was boundless if a government went in for breeder reactors. But from the 400 nuclear reactors being used in the world, “I do not know of a single government using them at present.” Dr Goswami also articulated his scepticism at the thermal breeder reactor technology based on thorium. At present, India is the only country currently pursues this because of its substantial thorium reserves.
His views were second by Dr Lee Stefankos, a professor of electrical engineering and director of the dirt free Energy Research Centre at the University of South Florida. Dr Stefanakos, who has been transport out research in the areas of solar thermal energy change, photovoltaic systems and hydrogen. Dr Stefankos also feel that nuclear energy is not one of the major producers of energy. With the shrinking uranium reserves, Dr Stefankos believes solar energy provide a safer and in the long run, a much cheaper different. An Indian scientist pointed out, “India is investing thousands of crores in increasing a nuclear energy program even though they were warn that high grade uranium is as much a dwindling reserve as are coal and gas resources.
“Other choice for producing uranium will be available. For example, three parts per billion of sea water is uranium but the costs of improving this uranium are so high that it is unlikely to prove an unviable option,” he said. Dr Goswami agreed that atomic fuel was boundless if a government went in for breeder reactors. But from the 400 nuclear reactors being used in the world, “I do not know of a single government using them at present.” Dr Goswami also articulated his scepticism at the thermal breeder reactor technology based on thorium. At present, India is the only country currently pursues this because of its substantial thorium reserves.
His views were second by Dr Lee Stefankos, a professor of electrical engineering and director of the dirt free Energy Research Centre at the University of South Florida. Dr Stefanakos, who has been transport out research in the areas of solar thermal energy change, photovoltaic systems and hydrogen. Dr Stefankos also feel that nuclear energy is not one of the major producers of energy. With the shrinking uranium reserves, Dr Stefankos believes solar energy provide a safer and in the long run, a much cheaper different. An Indian scientist pointed out, “India is investing thousands of crores in increasing a nuclear energy program even though they were warn that high grade uranium is as much a dwindling reserve as are coal and gas resources.
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