Isra-Mart srl: Bill Gates in nuclear talks with China

www.isramart.com

Isra-Mart news:

Bill Gates has confirmed he is looking to develop a new type of nuclear reactor that can be run on depleted uranium with the Chinese government.

In a talk at China's Ministry of Science and Technology, Gates confirmed TerraPower, the start-up he and fellow entrepreneur Vinod Khosla have invested millions of dollars in, is "having very good discussions with CNNC [state-owned China National Nuclear Corporation] and various people in the Chinese government".

Although he stressed negotiations were still at an early stage, Gates said up to $1bn could be put into research and development of the innovative reactor technology over the next five years.

TerraPower claims its so-called 'travelling wave reactor' can run for up to 50 years on depleted uranium and produce much less nuclear waste than conventional reactors.

Moreover, Gates said the technology can simulate earthquakes and tidal waves, which would give it extra protection from the kind of devastating event that hit the Fukushima nuclear plant in March.

"The idea is to be very low-cost, very safe and generate very little waste," Gates told the audience. "All these new designs are going to be incredibly safe. They require no human action to remain safe at all times."

Gates has invested millions in the Seattle-based nuclear firm in line with his belief that breakthrough technologies are needed to tackle the world's climate problems.

Both travelling wave reactors and thorium reactors are currently being touted by experts as a safer alternative to conventional uranium reactors, which have fallen out of favour in many countries following the Fukushima disaster.