Thorium...a new path towards safer and more sustainable nuclear energy

Thorium...a new path towards safer and more sustainable nuclear energy

مع تصاعد أزمة المناخ عالميًّا، تزداد الحاجة إلى مصادر طاقة نظيفة وآمنة يمكن الاعتماد عليها على المدى الطويل، وفي هذا السياق، تبرز الطاقة النووية باعتبارها خيارًا مطروحًا لتوليد الكهرباء دون انبعاثات كربونية كبيرة، غير أنها ترتبط بمخاطر بيئية وأمنية معقدة، خاصة بسبب الاعتماد الواسع على اليورانيوم وما يرتبط به من مخاطر بيئية وأمنية؛ لذلك يبرز عنصر "الثوريوم" باعتباره بديلًا محتملًا يمكن أن يفتح فصلًا جديدًا في مستقبل الطاقة النووية.

تستعرضحماة الأرض في هذا المقال الوضع الراهن لتكنولوجيا وقود الثُّوريوم النووي، من حيث الانتشار الجغرافي لاحتياطاته، وخصائصه الفيزيائية والكيميائية التي تميّزه عن اليورانيوم، إلى جانب المزايا البيئية والأمنية التي يوفرها، والتحديات التقنية والاقتصادية المرتبطة بتطوير مفاعلاته.

كما تسلط الضوء على الدور المحتمل لهذا المصدر البديل في دعم التحول نحو أنظمة طاقة أكثر استدامة، وتقليل الاعتماد على الوقود الأحفوري والانبعاثات المرتفعة، بما يسهم في تحقيق أهداف التنمية المستدامة، خاصة في مجالات الطاقة النظيفة، والعمل المناخي، والاستهلاك المسئول؛ So keep reading.

Nuclear energy and emissions

Studies show that life cycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with nuclear power are among the lowest compared to other energy sources; While coal and oil plants record emissions ranging from 600 to 1,200 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour, light and heavy water reactors produce an average of only 65 grams, according to a comprehensive study prepared byLinzen in 2008).

This large discrepancy places nuclear energy in an advanced position among the options for transitioning to low-carbon energy sources, and estimates indicate that nuclear energy, despite the challenges that accompany it related to waste and reprocessing, remains one of the most effective sources in terms of emissions, superior even to some solar energy technologies.

Life cycle emissions also include the stages of raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, operation, and final processing. For example, the nuclear reprocessing process, although it contributes to reducing waste, requires large amounts of energy; Which makes it an additional source of carbon emissions.

While nuclear energy offers a promising solution in terms of emissions, there remains a need to develop new types of fuels and reactors that ensure greater safety and lower environmental impact, which re-introduces thorium as a potential key to this change.

Tomorrow’s reactors and the thorium strategy

It is estimated that the number of nuclear reactors around the world will rise to 622 by 2040, after the closure of 123 reactors and the operation of 308 new reactors, and this expansion is led by the increasing demand for energy in countries such as China and India, which are adopting ambitious strategies to meet future needs.

On the other hand, some countries, such as France, face major challenges in maintaining the readiness of their current reactors. In September 2022, 25 French reactors were out of service either for regular maintenance or to repair corrosion, and such incidents highlight the need to modernize technology and think about new, more flexible nuclear fuel types.

Between thorium and uranium

Thorium is a natural radioactive element, but it differs from uranium in several aspects that make it more attractive. It has production capabilities 200 times greater than uranium. It is also available in larger quantities, and its reserves are spread in many countries around the world, such as India, Australia, Brazil, the United States, and even Egypt. This reduces the possibility of its monopoly or interruption, and its use in reactors produces radioactive waste that is less harmful and has a shorter lifespan. Which reduces the burden of long-term storage and processing.

Unlike uranium, thorium does not fission directly to produce energy. Rather, it needs to be “activated” inside the reactor, where it turns into a special type of uranium that can fission and release energy. Studies show that this process - although somewhat complicated - is more efficient and can lead to better fuel consumption.

Although the world is still largely dependent on uranium, the future expansion of nuclear power plants may make it necessary to reconsider the types of fuel used; Thorium, despite the technical and economic challenges that hinder its widespread use to this day, remains a strong candidate to play an important role in securing the future of nuclear energy in a more sustainable and safe way.

In addition, thorium oxide has a higher melting point (3300°C) than uranium oxide (2865°C), as well as better thermal conductivity, high radiation resistance, and structural stability at burn rates up to 38 MW/kg, giving it superior performance inside reactors.

Also, thorium oxide is more chemically stable than uranium oxide, and does not oxidize easily to higher compounds; This makes thorium fuel a more chemically and physically sustainable option. Despite the similarities in the manufacture of thorium and uranium fuel, the reprocessing and reforming phase requires more complex techniques; This requires development of nuclear infrastructure. In the following table, we briefly explain to you the comparisons between thorium and uranium.

Leading countries and global experiences

In this context, many countries have conducted actual experiments on thorium fuel, including India, Canada, Germany, Brazil, and China, while other countries such as Turkey are showing increasing interest, and the feasibility of adopting this fuel depends on several factors, namely: availability of resources, cost, growth policies, and nuclear industry trends.

Although the applications of thorium fuel are still limited at the global level, some countries have already begun to explore its technical and economic potential within their long-term nuclear strategies. In Canada, the unique design of the “CANDU” reactors allows the use of thorium as a partial substitute for uranium, which contributes to preserving the available reserves of this uranium.

As for India, it is one of the few countries that have begun practically to extract thorium from the ore monazite (monazite is a phosphate mineral that usually contains rare elements, of which there are four types), taking advantage of its abundant natural resources. Studies indicate that the initial cost of using this fuel may be high compared to uranium, but the longer fuel cycle and the decrease in the amount of radioactive waste produced may contribute to reducing costs in the long term. Remote.

At the research level, international organizations, led by the International Atomic Energy Agency, are working to develop an accurate database on the nuclear properties of thorium, through programs that include improving monitoring methods and neutron spectrum measurements, thus enhancing the chances of its safe and effective integration into future energy systems.

Thorium in Egypt...a promising opportunity to localize technology

While research efforts continue internationally to develop a knowledge base that enables the integration of thorium into future energy systems, attention is turning to countries that possess large reserves of this metal, most notably Egypt, where thorium stands out as a strategic opportunity to localize nuclear technology and enhance energy security.

According to data from the Energy Research Unit in Washington, Egypt ranks fifth in the world in terms of thorium reserves, with 380 thousand tons, after India, Brazil, Australia and the United States, and this ranking reflects the promising potential that can contribute to supporting the Egyptian nuclear program.

The importance of thorium reserves in Egypt increases with the progress of implementing the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project in cooperation with the Russian side, which opens the way in the future for the use of this metal within the nuclear fuel system, and the possibility of operating it in molten salt reactors gives Egypt a promising option for technologies that are less dependent on water, which is extremely important in light of the water crisis that the country is going through, and although the use of thorium is still experimental at the world level, its inclusion in research and development plans may place Egypt among the countries The pioneer in this field.

Thorium and sustainability a step towards the future

The value of thorium is not limited to its physical properties, but extends beyond that to its role in building a more sustainable future if it is used for peaceful purposes. Because its contribution to reducing carbon emissions, reducing the amount of radioactive waste, and reducing the risks of nuclear proliferation are all elements that help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal (13) related to climate action, Goal (7) related to clean and available energy at affordable prices, and Goal (9) related to innovation and infrastructure.

Diversifying nuclear fuel sources, through the introduction of thorium, represents a strategic step to reduce dependence on limited resources affected by geopolitical fluctuations, which enhances the stability of the global energy system and gives developing countries a greater opportunity to reduce the technical and economic gap. Relying on thorium opens the door to a new perception of nuclear energy, as a tool for building a more balanced and just development model.

In conclusion, theThe Earth Guards Foundation believes that thorium is not just an element in the periodic table, but rather a living representation of a new scientific philosophy that goes beyond the logic of “abundance versus risk” to a more balanced equation between safety and sustainability. In a world where the effects of climate change are escalating, and where clean energy options are narrowing, it seems that thorium is not only presenting itself as an alternative to uranium, but rather it comes as a correction to the path that the world has taken for many decades.

Despite its advantages, relying on uranium represented a bet fraught with environmental, security, and geopolitical risks, as it produced waste that was difficult to contain, and unrelenting fears of weapons proliferation. As for thorium, it can - through its unique properties and relatively fair geographical distribution - bring about a qualitative shift in the philosophy of nuclear energy: from a model based on power and control, to a model based on cooperation, sustainability and diversity. Therefore, adopting thorium is a real opportunity to overcome the centralization of traditional fuels, and distribute energy gains in a way that does not reproduce the hegemony of specific countries and regions, but rather consolidates environmental justice between East and West, between the present and the future, and between man and the Earth.