‘Uranium reserves to be over by 2050’
Energy experts warn that an acute 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 proven reserves of uranium will last less than 30 years.”
Current nuclear plants consume around 67,000 tonnes of high-grade uranium per year. With present uranium deposits in the planet having been estimated 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 seems to be the case, then the likelihood is that that the time span is going to be considerably reduced. Dr Goswami who is the inventor of the a new thermodynamic cycle for solar thermal power now called the Goswami Thermodynamic cycle, says, “by 2050, all proven and undiscovered reserves of uranium will be over.”
“Other options for producing uranium will be available. For example, three parts per billion of sea water is uranium but the costs of recovering this uranium are so high that it is unlikely to prove an unviable option,” he said.
Dr Goswami agreed that atomic fuel was limitless 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 expressed his scepticism at the thermal breeder reactor technology based on thorium. At present, India is the only country currently pursuing this because of its substantial thorium reserves.
His views were seconded by Dr Lee Stefankos, a professor of electrical engineering and director of the Clean Energy Research Centre at the University of South Florida. Dr Stefanakos, who has been carrying out research in the areas of solar thermal energy conversion, photovoltaic systems and hydrogen.
Dr Stefankos also feels that nuclear energy is not one of the major producers of energy. With the shrinking uranium reserves, Dr Stefankos believes solar energy provides a safer and in the long run, a much cheaper alternative.
An Indian scientist pointed out, “India is investing thousands of crores in expanding a nuclear energy program even though they were warned that high grade uranium is as much a dwindling resource as are coal and gas resources.”
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