"Advanced Nuclear Power: A Solution to Climate Change?"
Advanced nuclear reactors, especially smaller designs, could help solve many of the persistent problems with nuclear energy. The US government is renewing its bets on nuclear power to produce a steady stream of electricity without emitting greenhouse gases. The new generation of nuclear power includes fourth-generation reactors that use other materials like liquid metal, pressurized gas, and molten salt. These designs can reach higher operating temperatures, which can lead to greater efficiency. Nuclear energy could also be used to provide industrial heat to factories, produce hydrogen, and capture carbon dioxide directly from the air. However, building anything big is really hard, and nuclear energy brings even more unique challenges.