TUE AM News: UW talk highlights potential of smaller nuclear technologies; Generac chosen for negotiations on $50M DOE grant

October 22, 2024

— Smaller nuclear energy technology could play a role in bolstering the U.S. nuclear industry due to potential economic advantages over traditional plants, a UW-Madison expert says.

That’s according to Benjamin Lindley, assistant professor of nuclear engineering and engineering physics at the university. He spoke yesterday during a seminar focused on small modular reactors and microreactors, hosted by the Wisconsin Energy Institute.

He noted about 90 nuclear reactors are operating in the United States, and several had been closed down in recent years due to economic reasons, such as cheaper gas and variability in energy prices. But over just the past two years or so, other factors have driven “a dramatic reversal of fortunes” for nuclear, as data centers drive higher electricity demand amid higher gas prices linked to the war in Ukraine.

“So now, there are currently plans to restart at least two of the ones that shut down … and the current plants are also thinking about how they drive even more power out of their existing plants,” he said, noting that will require substantial investments in these facilities.

Despite this turnaround, projections for U.S. nuclear energy production are “basically flat” through 2050 based on figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration Lindley referenced.

Because building new traditional nuclear reactors is so expensive and difficult — Lindley described them as “megaprojects” that nearly always go over budget and take longer than initially planned — efforts are now being made to miniaturize nuclear energy production to improve the economics. He noted tech giants Amazon and Google are putting money into developing advanced nuclear technologies.

One route to doing so involves creating small modular reactors, or SMRs. This concept leverages the efficiency and reproducibility of factory-based manufacturing, as most parts of these installations would be built elsewhere and then shipped to the desired location. Doing as little work as possible on-site would help reduce related costs, according to Lindley.

“Standardization, have one design and stick to it. Build it over and over again, exactly the same with the same supply chain, the same people and same manufacturing process,” he said. “That is known to work, right, in general. If you standardize something, you bring the cost down … It’s pretty much indisputable that this is a good idea.”

He referenced an Oregon company called NuScale, which signed an agreement with La Crosse’s Dairyland Power Cooperative to explore possible uses of the technology. The presentation noted the company convinced U.S. nuclear regulators that their approach doesn’t need as large of an “emergency zone,” reducing logistical concerns with the emerging technology.

Meanwhile, even smaller nuclear units called “microreactors” are being explored as another alternative. Also envisioned as a single structure that could be made in a factory and transported elsewhere, these could be used as a resilient power source for remote communities with extreme environmental hazards.

In parts of northern Canada or Alaska, where a power outage could be fatal during the cold winter months, these microreactors could be used as an alternative to the costly process of shipping diesel fuel, Lindley explained. He said they could also power space missions or military bases, adding he believes the U.S. military is close to testing such a reactor.

“The military is really interested in microreactors in order to transport them to forward bases, and the reason for that is because fuel supply lines are a major source of casualties for the army,” he said. “So if you could have a nuclear reactor and you can operate it where soldiers are, then it means that you don’t have to ship as much diesel around, which reduces casualties.”

Watch the video.

— Waukesha-based Generac has been chosen for negotiations on a $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for a project related to California’s water infrastructure.

The generator manufacturer was selected for the grant negotiations through the federal agency’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership, according to yesterday’s announcement. This $10.5 billion program is focused on toughening the national power system against “extreme weather” and boosting energy access and affordability.

Under the funded project, Generac will work with the California Water Association to integrate clean energy technologies in the state’s water utilities. Total investment is estimated at $100 million across 100 water utility sites in the state, with a focus on disadvantaged communities.

The project will leverage “microgrid” technology that uses battery energy storage overseen by distributed energy resource management systems, forming “virtual power plants” to help meet energy demand, the release shows.

“We’ve been providing reliable backup power solutions to critical infrastructure, such as water and wastewater utilities, in California and across the US for more than 65 years,” said Aaron Jagdfeld, company president and CEO. “We are honored to be selected by the DOE to expand that scope by delivering these innovative solutions of clean, resilient, and efficient power for California and its grid.”

California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild says the project will support “resiliency during local outages” and make the state’s energy grid more reliable thanks to the backup power option. The announcement notes California’s electric grid is getting older while facing increased demand from electrification and extreme weather.

See the release.

— The UW School of Medicine and Public Health is now conducting brain scans in volunteers as part of a national study focused on Alzheimer’s disease.

The five-year study is called Clarity in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Research Through Imaging, or CLARiTI. It involves 37 U.S. Alzheimer’s disease research centers funded by the National Institutes of Health, which are gathering various data points in people with dementia or those at risk of developing the disease.

UW-Madison’s team was chosen to pilot the first series of brain scans through the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, according to yesterday’s release. Brain scanning began in August, and all CLARiTI sites are slated to be operating by 2025.

Sterling Johnson, study leader and professor of medicine at the UW SMPH, says the study aims to improve understanding of “mixed dementia,” when other neurological diseases contribute to the condition. Johnson notes it can be “difficult to pinpoint exactly what those contributors are” for each patient.

“If we can establish a more comprehensive panel of imaging and blood plasma biomarkers, we stand to greatly improve the accuracy and prediction of symptom course as well as a patient’s response to experimental therapies,” Johnson said.

Researchers will be gathering imaging results and blood-based biomarkers from participants, which will then be shared with specialists around the world through the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center. Study organizers plan to enroll 2,000 people for brain imaging and biomarker analysis, with scans done two years apart to identify brain changes.

Black and Latino adults are twice as likely to have dementia but are one-third less likely to get diagnosed, and members of these groups often have a “greater severity of initial cognitive symptoms” than white patients. That’s according to Ozioma Okonkwo, one of the leaders of the CLARiTI inclusion core and a professor of medicine at the UW SMPH.

“A critical component of our efforts is to gain the trust of these communities so that, by enrolling them in CLARiTI, we can gain better understanding of the factors that contribute to these health inequities, and also ensure that our findings are applicable to everyone affected by these devastating conditions,” Okonkwo said in the release.

Top headlines from the Health Care Report…

— U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Janesville, says he would not back a national abortion ban if legislation came before the U.S. House.

For more of the most relevant health care news, reports on groundbreaking research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics and WisBusiness.com.

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— The state Department of Veterans Affairs is providing $550,000 in funding for nonprofits, including those providing entrepreneurship training for veterans.

The agency yesterday announced the funding for 15 nonprofit groups offering financial help, business training and other services for Wisconsin veterans. The dollars come from two programs: the Veteran Nonprofit Grant, meant for all registered nonprofits serving veterans; and the Veteran Entrepreneurship Grant, focused on those offering entrepreneurship assistance or other employment-related efforts.

“These grants will help provide mental healthcare, basic amenities, job training, assist veteran entrepreneurs, and more,” DVA Secretary James Bond said in a statement. “Wisconsin is lucky to have so many folks stepping up for those who have served in the armed forces.”

See the full list of recipients in the release.

RSV research at UW-Madison could lead to new drugs, vaccines

SHINE Technologies awarded eight-figure grant from Dutch government

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