DeepGEO and Copenhagen Atomics have signed a pioneering collaboration agreement that will see the companies work together to better understand both the radioactive materials and fuel needs of Copenhagen Atomics’ thorium reactors.
This agreement between a multinational repository developer and an advanced reactor designer is a first of a kind for the global nuclear sector. It represents a concrete step towards ensuring the long-term sustainability of nuclear energy.
Copenhagen Atomics is leading the global race of delivering the first commercial thorium reactor. The company expects to demonstrate the viability of its process sooner than its competitors as it is on a rapid path to the first ultra efficient thorium reactor.
For its part, DeepGEO is aiming to assist both advanced reactor and small modular reactor developers in commercialising their technologies. The establishment of multinational interim storage facilities and repositories that can host a variety of waste forms would provide vital flexibility in support of novel nuclear technologies, applications and business models.
Thomas Jam Pedersen, CEO and co-founder of Copenhagen Atomics, says:
“Copenhagen Atomics reactors are able to burn spent nuclear fuel and get ten times more energy out of it, than when that same fuel is used in a traditional nuclear reactor. Together with DeepGEO, Copenhagen Atomics will explore how we can make international handling of spent nuclear fuel radically more efficient and at the same time handle all waste streams responsibly.” “This partnership between Copenhagen Atomics and DeepGEO helps enable the conversion of spent nuclear fuel into a valuable resource rather than an expensive liability, which countries and companies have to deal with. Recycling a large share of spent nuclear fuel, this so-called “nuclear waste”, would allow them to sell it for a positive value, further covering the cost of recycling and transport”.
Link Murray, President of DeepGEO, says:
“An innovative nuclear sector needs innovative back-end solutions. We are thrilled to be partnering with Copenhagen Atomics, which is again demonstrating that it is a pioneer in the nuclear sector. Working together we can better understand the value of different fuel and waste needs of advanced nuclear reactors, help to accelerate their deployment and ensure the future sustainability of nuclear energy.”
Meeting the needs of nuclear fuel recyclers
Copenhagen Atomics’ thorium reactors are expected to consume the transuranic elements in spent nuclear fuel from conventional nuclear reactors, which radically reduces the amount of long lived nuclear waste.
To achieve this Copenhagen Atomics intends to separate spent nuclear fuel from light water reactors into four streams: zircaloy, uranium, fission products and transuranics. Its reactor designs can make use of plutonium (a transuranic) to ‘kickstart’ the use of thorium.
DeepGEO is committed to providing services related to medium and low level waste management and disposal as Copenhagen Atomics begins testing and demonstration. Initially, the collaboration between the parties shall help establish a better understanding of the economy and requirements of this process, determining what ultimately is waste and what has commercial value.
Important aspects of the collaboration include technology, fuel and waste characterization and the legislation and regulations of handling, transporting and disposing of these materials between countries.
Inviting others
The signed agreement is a first of a kind for the nuclear industry, but is not intended to be a last. The companies welcome interest from other nuclear technology and project developers that are also ready to get serious about their future waste challenges and explore innovative and multinational solutions.
About DeepGEO
DeepGEO is a US-based company with regional teams in Canada, Europe and Africa which is developing multinational repositories for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel. With a focus on sustainable resource management and a clean energy future, DeepGEO works with its partners to provide a solution to this environmental challenge while promoting economic healing for under-served communities.
About Copenhagen Atomics
Copenhagen Atomics has invented a new energy technology, which can provide energy at lower cost than other energy technologies and CA reactors can be installed much faster than other nuclear reactors. Copenhagen Atomics has achieved this through an innovative thorium reactor design with the size of a 40 foot shipping container and the company aims to mass manufacture these thorium reactors on assembly lines. When the rules are in place for spent nuclear fuel recycling, then these thorium reactors are able to consume all transuranics in the world.
Founded in 2014