Thorium reactors. Do they exist? Are they still just theoretical? Why aren’t we investing more in it?
In: Chemistry
I’ve seen one guy claim that the technology [isn’t viable](https://np.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/9unimr/dutch_satirical_news_show_on_why_we_need_to_break/e95mvb7/?context=3) due to it requiring the production of [Protactinium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_protactinium#Protactinium-233) which is so nasty that it makes the entire thing a no-go.
That said, IMO nuclear is dead anyway, because renewables are eating its lunch. Any nuclear tech (thorium or not) is expensive to build, which means it requires running at full blast as much as possible to pay off those loans. And if any tech like wind or solar can sell power cheaper, then they get the money and your nuclear plant sits idle not paying off those huge loans.
And I don’t see that changing. Nuclear is big and complicated. Wind is a set of blades, a gearbox and a motor on a pole. Solar is a bunch of solar modules. Both technologies are extremely amenable to mass production, their parts have other uses, and don’t need huge risks and billions if somebody wants to try a slightly different design, so that means they are and will be developed far faster than nuclear can be.
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