The popular movie Oppenheimer is about energy. Nuclear physicist and space exploration advocate Robert Zubrin discusses the science in How Accurate is Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’? (Quillette, Aug 1, 2023) and notes:
the main concern during the test was whether the bomb would actually work. Making a nuclear bomb is tricky; it’s not enough to just have a critical chain reaction or a runaway reaction. You need a reaction that multiplies so fast that it releases most of the bomb’s potential energy before the explosion disrupts the process.
For debaters researching nuclear power, the key is nuclear energy power sources safe from runaway chain reactions. That’s where thorium is a safer nuclear power source. Thorium reactors generate energy and can’t run away. So thorium doesn’t work for bomb making but can work for generating commercial power.
In this video, Stoa co-founder and Thorcon head Lars Jorgensen explains that developing countries will build the least expensive power source, which today is coal. Thorium energy is cheaper, safer, and cleaner.
• Lars Jorgensen of ThorConPower.com gives an in-depth look at their THORium CONverter reactor in Bali. Also interesting is brief mention that the Indonesian government is rewriting regulations to cover modern nuclear reactors like thorium.
Current U.S. renewable energy policies also include various efforts to restrict fossil fuel energy in the developing world and instead support wind and solar power. But poor countries lack reliable power, with outages often disrupting business and everyday lift. This Texas Public Policy Institute video explains that in the U.S. and around the world: Poverty is Energy Poverty.
Thorium energy faces regulatory barriers in the U.S. Why not allow thorium energy to compete on a level regulatory and certification playing field in the U.S. Rewrite U.S. nuclear regulations to open the door for many modern nuclear reactor designs, including thorium power.
Energy videos from Izzit.org are also recommended:
• Power to the Planet is recommended: https://izzit.
• Energy Choices: Who Decides?
• Why does the U.S. federal government try to pick energy winners and losers across the developing world? Environmentalists complain that the government is not doing enough to stop new fossil fuel energy in poor countries. Others are critical of the government doing too much to stop fossil fuels power and subsidize wind and solar.
US Will Stop Supporting Overseas Fossil Fuel Projects
• U.S. Agrees to End Fossil Fuel Financing Abroad
Access to Energy…
• Energy Hypocrisy as Rich Countries Denying the Poor the Power to Develop
AIER August 11, 2022
* The COP26 Plan to Keep Africa Poor: We want to help with climate change, but our lives
and economies depend on fossil fuels. AIER August 11, 2022 https://www.wsj.com/
• Time for Africa to Assert its Energy Sovereignty: A Call to Africa’s Leaders Ahead of COP28
Development partners have pledged to stop financing fossil fuel projects abroad, yet continue to support carbon-intensive infrastructure for their domestic needs.
