Abstract

Nuclear power has the potential to be a climate-friendly energy source but also embodies great threats to humans and the environment which requires dedicated safety precautions. Currently, safely handling large amounts of very long-lived, dangerous radioactive waste created by nuclear power production makes it a pretty costly and unsustainable endeavor. In this study, we analyze if it is possible to redesign nuclear power stations so that they can run on existing nuclear waste. And here is the good news: our feasibility study shows that it can be done and that the majority of current nuclear waste does not even have to be modified. These advanced nuclear power stations do not yet exist. However, with a focus on the generation of sustainable and climate-friendly energy in our research and development efforts, we believe we can make them happen in the near future.