Bill Gates-backed nuclear contender Terra Power aims to build dozens of UK reactors::A Bill Gates-backed clean energy player is hoping to build dozens of nuclear reactors in the UK and will compete with global rivals.

    • IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      I’m not suggesting that a SMR can’t be built, I’m saying that they’re a massive waste of money, unless you hold RR stock.

      • Zron@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        SMRs are great for decentralization of the power grid.

        Which makes the viability of renewables like wind and solar much more viable, as you can have the reactor for each mini grid throttle down based on current renewable yield, and throttle back up when the sun goes down or the wind stops.

        It also means that issues like Texas had in the winter of 2021 would be a lot smaller in magnitude, as having one SMR and renewables go offline would only cause a local power outage, instead of entire cities suddenly being without heat or power.

        • IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          I can’t find any sources that support SMRs being used as peaker plants, conventional nuclear certainly can’t behave this way. Do you have any links?

          • 🦘min0nim🦘
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            You can do this but it makes them even more expensive, because you’ve built an expensive plant for operational capacity that you don’t use.

            We should be load following with storage, not nukes.

            • IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              Do you have a source on that? I can’t find anything supporting SMRs for peak use. How quickly can they come online? How much notice to take offline? How long to reach peak generation?