Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Comment
  • Published:

A tortoise approach for US nuclear research and development

In Aesop’s fable, a swift hare races with a deliberate tortoise. In the end, the tortoise wins by taking a slow and steady approach. We argue that, given the economic constraints on US deployment of nuclear power, a ‘tortoise strategy’ is more prudent for US government nuclear R&D efforts.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Hansen, J., Emanuel, K., Caldeira, K. & Wigley, T. Nuclear Power paves the only viable path forward on climate change. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/03/nuclear-power-paves-the-only-viable-path-forward-on-climate-change (2015).

  2. Shellenberger, M. How fear of nuclear power is hurting the environment. TED Talks https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_shellenberger_how_fear_of_nuclear_power_is_hurting_the_environment (2016).

  3. Caldicott, H. Nuclear Power is Not the Answer (The New Press: New York, London, 2006).

  4. Jacobson, M., Delucchi, M. A., Cameron, M. A. & Frew, B. A. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 112, 15060–15065 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Brick, S. & Thernstrom, S. Electr. J. 29, 6–12 (2016).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Williams, J. H. et al. Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States. Revision with Technical Supplement (Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc., 2015).

  7. Clack, C. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 114, 6722–6727 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Wilks, A. G. FBI Agents flock to VC Summer site as part of probe into SC’s failed nuclear project. The State http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article211199484.html (2018).

  9. Annual Energy Outlook 2018 (EIA, 2018); www.eia.gov/aeo

  10. Bistline, J. & James, R. Exploring the Role of Advanced Nuclear in Future Energy Markets (The Electric Power Research Institute, 2018).

  11. Kroposki, B., Zhang, Y., Johnson, B. J. & Hodge, B. S. IEEE Power Energy Mag. 15, 61–73 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. National Research Council. Energy in Transition 1985–2010: Final Report of the Committee on Nuclear and Alternative Energy Systems 210–344 (The National Academies Press, 1980).

  13. Jenkins, J. et al. Appl. Energy 222, 872–884 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Brinton, S. The Advanced Nuclear Industry. Third Way https://www.thirdway.org/report/the-advanced-nuclear-industry (2015).

  15. What will Advanced Nuclear Power Plants Cost? (Energy Innovation Reform Project, 2017).

  16. Finan, A. Updating the licensing pathway to enable nuclear innovation. Clean Air Task Force http://www.catf.us/blogs/ahead/tag/nuclear/ (2016).

  17. Abdulla, A. Y., Ford, M. J., Morgan, M. G. & Victor, D. Environ. Res. Lett. 12, 084016 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Ford, M. J., Abdulla, A. Y., Morgan, M. G. & Victor, D. Energy Policy 108, 194–200 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Secretary of Energy Advisory Board Report of the Task Force on the Future of Nuclear Power (US Department of Energy, 2016); https://www.energy.gov/seab/downloads/final-report-task-force-future-nuclear-power

  20. Petti, D. et al. Advanced Demonstration and Test Reactor Options Study (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, 2016).

  21. A Technology Roadmap for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems (NEA, GIF, 2002).

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank G. Morgan, J. Lassiter, M. Bunn and A. Abdulla for helpful conversations.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael J. Ford.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ford, M.J., Schrag, D.P. A tortoise approach for US nuclear research and development. Nat Energy 3, 810–812 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-018-0221-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-018-0221-1

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing