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Re:Bill Gates' nuclear venture plans reactor to complement s... by baybal2 on Friday August 28, 2020 @04:57AM (#24302801)
An alternative to that is to sit and do nothing.
Re:Bill Gates' nuclear venture plans reactor to complement s... by yakshaving_jgt on Friday August 28, 2020 @05:02AM (#24302837)
Yes, that is an alternative, but probably a better alternative is to invest in nuclear/renewable energy research. Which is what he is doing.
Re:Bill Gates' nuclear venture plans reactor to complement s... by baybal2 on Friday August 28, 2020 @05:33AM (#24303007)
Do you understand that even in a 30+ years, with the most optimistic forecast of technological progression, and availability of funds, the nuclear option will still be incomparably more expensive, and impractical for a small size power station in an undeveloped nation?
Re:Bill Gates' nuclear venture plans reactor to complement s... by yakshaving_jgt on Friday August 28, 2020 @05:38AM (#24303036)
Do you have a source to support that claim? Because from what I’ve read and seen, the economics of nuclear are significantly better over a longer timespan.

https://youtu.be/UC_BCz0pzMw

Re:Bill Gates' nuclear venture plans reactor to complement s... by baybal2 on Friday August 28, 2020 @05:56AM (#24303132)
I worked in the field of engineering since 2007. I can surely say that even simply the choice of materials, and metalworking processes mean that the nuclear reactor vessel alone costs like one diesel/LNG power stations.

Steam turbines are bigger, and more expensive than equivalently powerful turbines of a gas-turbine engine, and not to say that gas turbine is also its own source of hot gas.

I think the best option for undeveloped nations is to rent their power generation equipment until they can bootstrap their electric grid, and build proper power stations.

Re:Bill Gates' nuclear venture plans reactor to complement s... by skitout on Friday August 28, 2020 @08:00AM (#24303827)
Renewable energies, energy efficiency and demand response are already cheaper than most new dirty power plant...