Alphaxioms Geothermal News and Related Research Globally

Imagine a group of scientists flying drones over a nuclear research center, equipped with cutting-edge technology to identify and measure the radiation being emitted from a plume source.   The CNL-SCK-CEN team with their drone at Mol (Image: CNL) The team has successfully tested a new, precise measurement technique that could be invaluable to emergency response teams during an accident. But that's not all - these drones are part of a groundbreaking research project funded by the Energy Transition Fund of the FPS Economy, aimed at developing unmanned aircraft with scintillation counters that can carry out radiological measurements without any human intervention. This futuristic technology is being fine-tuned at the Mol site of Belgium's Nuclear Research Centre, and the results are promising. During the tests, the drones successfully identified the radioactive source, qualified and quantified the radiation, and produced a special visualization of the contamination. This technolog...

Holtec International has achieved a remarkable feat - the fabrication and delivery of the Centre Stack Casing (CSC) for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory's (PPPL's) National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U), a revolutionary step towards commercial nuclear power based on nuclear fusion. This magnificent piece of engineering represents the heart of the NSTX-U, which is expected to produce high-performance plasma with low-cost magnetic fields. The Centre Stack Casing for the NSTX-U (Image: Holtec) The CSC had to be designed and manufactured with extremely precise tolerances to meet the demanding metrology and magnetic permeability requirements. This challenge demanded Holtec's weld engineers to develop and qualify several unique welding procedures and tools that were then implemented by their highly skilled machinists and welders. The final product, which is made of inconel metal and resembles a hedgehog due to its stud-covered design, will provide the inner v...

Estonia is about to take a leap into the future of clean energy as Fermi Energia selects GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) for deployment in the country by early 2030s. Out of the three SMR developers Fermi Energia received tenders from, GE Hitachi emerged as the winner with its cutting-edge BWRX-300 design. A rendering of a BWRX-300 plant (Image: GEH) . This 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR features passive safety systems and leverages the design and licensing basis of GEH's ESBWR boiling water reactor. The BWRX-300, which is currently undergoing a pre-licensing review in Canada and the US, is a game-changer in the energy sector with its exceptional safety, lower cost, and shorter build time. The reactor, much smaller than traditional boiling water reactors used in Europe, has already been selected for deployment by companies in Canada, Poland, and the UK. "We are honored that our SMR technology has been selected by Fermi Energi...

Exciting news for the advanced nuclear sector as the US-based Centrus Energy Corporation has completed construction on a cutting-edge uranium enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio. This state-of-the-art facility features a cascade of 16 advanced centrifuges and is set to revolutionize the production of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) by the end of 2023. The HALEU cascade at Piketon (Image: Centrus) With the support of the US Department of Energy, Centrus received USD150 million in funding to bring this project to life. The cascade and its associated systems have undergone rigorous testing and the completion of fissile material storage and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) operational readiness reviews are the final steps before production can commence. Piketon is the only production facility in the US that has been licensed by the NRC for HALEU production, making this a major milestone in the advanced nuclear industry. The HALEU produced here will be enriched to between 5% and 20...

Nine South Korean organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate on the development and demonstration of ships and offshore systems powered with small modular reactors (SMRs). The partners will also develop marine systems and the production of hydrogen using molten salt reactors (MSRs) . Representatives from the partners mark the signing of the MoU (Image: KAERI) Since July, an advisory panel - the Green Transformation (GX) Executive Committee - has been considering the implementation of major changes in energy, all industries, and the economy and society in order to achieve the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The government's GX implementation meeting was held on 22 December, during which a roadmap for the next ten years was agreed as a "basic policy for the realisation of GX". Under the new policy - which describes nuclear power as "a power source that contributes to energy security and has a high decarbonisation effect...

The routes of the vibration vehicles in the 13 communities. Source: Wärmeverbund Magglinge Next week, as part of the geothermal project in Magglingen, Switzerland, around 2,700 measurement devices will be deployed for underground data collection. The actual measurements are scheduled to start in mid-March and will last for about three weeks. The Magglingen geothermal project, which will provide heat for the National Sports Center in Magglingen (NSM) in the future, is entering a new phase. In preparation for the planned measurements, around 2,700 measurement devices will be deployed in Leubringen/Magglingen and twelve other communities for underground data collection. They will remain there for about two months. The actual measurements will start, depending on the weather conditions, in mid-March and will last for about three weeks. They are aimed at locating the suspected warm water reservoir in the depths. The results will be evaluated in early 2024. Investigation of the underground u...

Forget about relying on finite sources of energy. Europe is turning towards a renewable and unlimited energy source - geothermal. With France, Iceland and Hungary leading the way, several countries are investing billions of euros in this energy source to meet their energy demands . image source: (unsplash.com,Mark Kuiper) A Rich European Tradition Europe has a rich history in geothermal energy, with Iceland, France, and Hungary dominating the sector. However, in recent years, more and more countries have shown an increased interest in exploring the potential of this renewable energy source. Geothermal energy is 100% renewable, unlimited, and reliable - making it a valuable resource in the race towards decarbonization. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the continent's vulnerability in the energy sector and has only reinforced the trend towards investing in geothermal energy. Decarbonizing 25% of Energy Demand Geothermal power plants are estimated to provide up to 10% o...