A Norwegian company is breaking with convention and switching to an alternative energy it hopes will be safer, cleaner and more efficient. But this isn’t about ditching fossil fuels, but rather about making the switch from uranium to thorium. Oslo based Thor Energy is pairing up with the Norwegian government and US-based (but Japanese/Toshiba owned)Westinghouse to begin a four year test that they hope will dispel doubts and make thorium the rule rather than the exception. The thorium will run at a government reactor in Halden.

Thorium was discovered in 1828 by the Swedish chemist Jons Jakob Berzelius who named it after the Norse god of thunder, Thor. Found in trace amounts in rocks and soil, thorium is actually about three times more abundant than uranium.

The attractiveness of thorium has led others in the past to build their own thorium reactors. A reactor operated in Germany between 1983 and 1989, and three operated in the US between the late sixties and early eighties. These plants were abandoned, some think, because the plutonium produced at uranium reactors was deemed indispensable to many in a Cold War world.

Almost all of the world’s nuclear power plants are uranium reactors. But interest in thorium reactors is strong, particularly in nuclear happy China.

Thorium is ‘fertile,’ unlike ‘fissile’ uranium, which means it can’t be used as is but must first be converted to uranium-233. A good deal of research has been conducted to determine if fuel production, processing and waste management for thorium is safe and cost effective. For decades many have argued that thorium is superior to the uranium in nearly all of the world’s nuclear reactors, providing 14 percent of the world’s electricity. Proponents argue that thorium reacts more efficiently than uranium does, that the waste thorium produces is shorter lived than waste from uranium, and that, because of its much higher melting point, is meltdown proof. An added plus is the fact that thorium reactors do not produce plutonium and thus reduce the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation.

Some experts maintain that the benefits of thorium would be maximized in molten salt reactors or pebble bed reactors. The reactor at Halden is not ideal for thorium as it is a ‘heavy water’ reactor, built for running uranium. But it is also a reactor that has already received regulatory approval. Many thorium supporters argue that, rather than wait for ideal molten salt or pebble bed reactors tests should be performed in approved reactors so that their benefits can be more quickly demonstrated to the world.

But is thorium really cheaper, cleaner and more efficient than uranium? And if so, do the added benefits really warrant the cost and effort to make the switch? Data is still pretty scarce, but at least one report is urging us to not believe the hype.

Through their National Nuclear Laboratory the UK’s Department of Energy & Climate Change released a report in September that stated: “thorium has theoretical advantages regarding sustainability, reducing radiotoxicity and reducing proliferation risk. While there is some justification for these benefits, they are often overstated.” The report goes on to acknowledge that worldwide interest in thorium is likely to remain high and they recommend that the UK maintain a “low level” of research and development into thorium fuel.

The place where thorium is proven either way could be China. The country is serious about weaning itself off of fossil fuels and making nuclear power their primary energy source. Fourteen nuclear power reactors are in operation in China today, another 25 under construction, and there are plans to build more. And in 2011 they announced plans to build a thorium, molten salt reactor. So whether it be Norway, the UK, China, or some other forward-thinking countries, we’ll soon find out if thorium reactors are better than uranium ones, at which point more countries may want to join the thorium chain reaction.

http://singularityhub.com/2012/12/11/norway-begins-four-year-test-of-thorium-nuclear-reactor/

Cumulative list of blogposts with label 'Thorium' (December 12, 2012):

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/norway-begins-four-year-test-of-thorium.html
Norway begins four year test of thorium nuclear reactorhttp://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/parliament-bypassed-to-steal-rare.html

Parliament bypassed to steal rare atomic minerals 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-will-help-shape-chinas-energy.html

Thorium will help shape China’s energy future

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-has-risks-but-has-great.html

Thorium Has Risks, But Has Great Possibilities For Power Production

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/thorium-to-be-tested-in-working-nuclear.html

Thorium to be tested in a working nuclear reactor -- oilprice.com. GOI, protect India's thorium resources.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/peak-oil-security-policy-implications.html

Peak oil, security policy implications of scarce resources (Bundeswehr study, 2010) 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/illegal-notification-of-18-jan-2006-on.html

Illegal notification of 18 Jan. 2006 on Atomic Minerals and loot of Rs. 96,120 Crores worth Atomic Minerals - Complaints

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/govt.html

Govt. of India should act now to stop illegal mining of Atomic Minerals

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/india-announces-plan-to-build-thorium.html

India announces plan to build thorium reactor. Congrats to India's nuclear scientists. 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/letter-to-chairman-atomic-energy.html

Illegal mining of Atomic minerals worth Rs. 96,120 crores

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/submit-viewssuggestions-on-mines-and.html

Submit views/suggestions on Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill No. 110 of 2011

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/cause-and-effect-case-study-in-and.html

Cause and effect: a case study in and dossiers on Rare earths/Atomic Minerals of India 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/dae-cancel-and-withdraw-illegal.html

DAE, cancel and withdraw an illegal notification issued in January 2006.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/atomic-minerals-include-thorium-uranium.html

Atomic minerals include thorium, uranium, monazite, zircon, ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene (Part B of First Schedule of the Act 1957)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/pm-should-ban-placer-sands-mining.html

PM should ban placer sands mining, nationalise minerals of national importance consistent with Shah Commission recommendations on manganese/iron ore mining

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/our-nuclear-program-will-be-thorium.html

Our nuclear program will be thorium based - APJ Abdul Kalam 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-other-rare-earth.html

Protection of thorium & other rare earth minerals - Swamy refutes DAE claims

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/our-policy-is-to-reprocess-all-fuel-put.html

‘Our policy is to reprocess all the fuel put into a nuclear reactor’ -- Sekhar Basu

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-reserves-in.html

Protection of thorium and rare earth reserves in the country 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/cheap-nuclear-energy-is-illusion-kumar.html

Cheap nuclear energy is an illusion -- Kumar Chellappan

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/dae-press-release-xport-of-monazite.html

DAE Press release : Export of Monazite from India. India backtracks on involving private miners in monazite - Ajoy K Das

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-loot-no-private-parties.html

Thorium loot: No private parties permitted to produce monazite, says DAE

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/cheapabundant-very-safe-nuclear.html

Cheap,abundant & very safe nuclear power.....Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-reserves-in_14.html

Protection of thorium reserves in the country

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-loot-spells-strategic-loss.html

Thorium loot spells strategic loss 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/kerala-metals-and-minerals-ltd-causing.html

Kerala Metals and Minerals Ltd causing radiation: PIL 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/separation-of-monazite-from-placer.html

Separation of monazite from placer sands and strategic needs of India's energy programme. 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/nuclear-thorium-country-needs-thorium.html

Nuclear Thorium: Country needs thorium-based fast breeders -- Dr. Kalam

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/near-monopoly-position-of-company-in.html

Near monopoly position of a company in garnet placer sands

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/estimated-value-of-thorium-loot-in.html

Estimated value of Manavalakurichi placer sands loot in a decade: Rs. 1 lakh crore

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/placer-sands-exports-detailed-in.html

Placer sands exports detailed in a Criminal Petition in Hon’ble Supreme Court

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/govt-misled-parliament-on-thorium-loot.html

Govt. misled Parliament on thorium loot. Thorium a game changer for India's power needs?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/export-profiles-of-placer-sands-of.html

Export profiles of placer sands of Manavalakurichi complex

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/rare-earth-complex-of-india-containing.html

Rare earth complex of India -- containing thorium, the strategic nuclear fuel

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/indias-nuclear-energy-through-thorium.html

India's nuclear energy through thorium. Powering the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-could-have-powered-india.html

Thorium could have powered India

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/the-power-of-thorium-29-september-2012.html

Power of Thorium - two books reviewed. 'Super Fuel':Martin. ‘Thorium: energy cheaper than coal’: Robert Hargraves

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-upas-new-coalgate.html

Thorium UPA's new coalgate?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/how-far-off-is-thorium-energy-it-is.html

How far off is thorium energy? It is producing energy already -- in many reactors of India...

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-all-set-to-tap-thorium-resources.html

India all set to tap thorium resources

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-canada-nuke-pact-days-are-gone-we.html

India-Canada Nuke pact. "Those days are gone. We're not so stupid," Dr. Chaitanyamoy Ganguly, Nuclear scientist.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-to-transform-nuclear-power-pair.html Thorium to transform nuclear power. A pair of MIT students set up Transatomic Power

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/cumulative-list-of-blogposts-with-label.html

Cumulative list of blogposts with label "Thorium" (September 27, 2012). National imperative of protecting Rare earths including thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-nuclear-fuel-and-iphone-are.html

Thorium -- a nuclear fuel and iPhone are born of Mother Earth. Govt. of India, conserve and protect rare earths including thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/take-steps-to-protect-strategic.html

Take steps to protect strategic monazite reserves: Subramanian Swamy to PM

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-and-imperative-of-national.html

Thorium and imperative of national security - Dr. Swamy's letter to PM

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-as-strategic-mineral-greener.html

Thorium as strategic mineral: a greener alternative to uranium. India should protect her thorium reserves.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/dae-makes-strides-towards-thorium-fuel_1207.html

DAE makes strides towards thorium fuel supplies for AHWR

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-figures-unconfirmed-irel.html

‘Thorium figures unconfirmed’ - IREL

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/vver-voda-voda-energo-reactor-water.html

VVER: Voda Voda Energo Reactor, Water-cooled, water-moderated energy reactor

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/protect-india-thorium-to-transform.html

Protect India's thorium to transform the world of energy

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/a-future-energy-giant-indias-thorium.html

A future energy giant? India's thorium-based nuclear plans

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-should-enforce-nsg-guidelines-for.html

India should enforce NSG guidelines for protection of thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/nuclear-energys-future-thorium.html

Nuclear Energy’s Future: Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/q-thorium-reactor-designer-ratan-kumar.html

Q&A: Thorium Reactor Designer Ratan Kumar Sinha

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-fuelled-dreams-for-indias_13.html

Thorium-fuelled dreams for India’s energy future. How India’s science is taking over the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-poster-source-thorium-australia.html

Thorium poster (Source: Thorium Australia campaign)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/briefings-on-nuclear-technology-in.html

Protect India's thorium. Briefings on nuclear technology in India -- PK Iyengar, Retd. Chairman, AEC, May 2009

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/new-all-party-uk-parliamentary-group-on.html

New All-Party UK Parliamentary Group on Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/china-takes-lead-in-race-for-clean.html

China Takes Lead in Race for Clean Nuclear Power -- using thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/the-issue-is-india-as-nuke-power-anti.html

The issue is India as nuke power. Anti-Kudankulam leaders manipulate innocents - Pioneer Edit

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/09/india-ventures-into-rare-earths-to.html

India Ventures Into Rare Earths, To Launch Soon Monazite Processing Plant

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-is-nuclear-fuel-and-should.html

Thorium is nuclear fuel and should command immediate attention of GOI to conserve and protect the wealth of the nation.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-key-to-indias-energy-security.html

Thorium key to India’s energy security -- Sandhya Jain

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-plans-nuclear-plant-powered-by.html

Thorium advocates launch pressure group in UK. India plans nuclear plant powered bythorium - Guardian, UK

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/feature-article-thorium-reactor.html

Feature article: A Thorium Reactor (American Scientist, 2010)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-as-nuclear-fuel.html

Thorium As Nuclear Fuel

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thoriumgate-34-blogposts-seize-moment.html

Thoriumgate. 34 blogposts. Seize the moment to strengthen India's nuclear doctrine and energy future.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/is-thorium-biggest-energy-breakthrough.html

Is Thorium the Biggest Energy Breakthrough Since Fire? Possibly.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/are-beachfuls-of-thorium-sand-curse.html

Are beachfuls of thorium sand a curse? -- Rrishi Raote

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/why-should-foreign-companies-private.html

Why should foreign companies & private parties work in monazite placer deposits?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/krisastha-koil-kundal-uvari.html

Karisastha koil, Kundal, Uvari

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-reactors-dr-y-federation-of.html

Thorium for dummies. Thorium reactors - Dr. Y (Federation of American Scientists)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/upas-thoriumgate-toyota-tsusho-enters_6.html

UPA's Thoriumgate? Toyota Tsusho enters the scene.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/monazite-reserves-of-india-18-million.html

Monazite reserves of India 18 Million Tonnes (A review of seabed and placer mining deposits in India by Abhineet Kumar (May, 2011. Dept. of Mining Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, 2011)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-which-can-breed-uranium-233-is.html

Thorium which can breed uranium 233 is the future energy source for India. Rare earth elements; Indian rare earths -- Its genesis and growth (TK Mukherjee, IREL)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/proof-that-coir-was-used-to-export.html

Proof that coir was used to export thorium oxide in monazite. Now Toyota is inmonazite processing in India.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/wyoming-nuclear-task-force-hears.html

Wyoming nuclear task force hears thorium reactor plan

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/indian-rare-earths-genesis-and-growth.html

Indian rare earths: genesis and growth -- TK Mukherjee, IREL

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/who-looted-indias-missing-thorium.html

Who looted India’s missing thorium? -- Sandeep Balakrishna

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/after-coal-did-india-give-away-thorium.html

After coal, did India give away Thorium at pittance too?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/great-thorium-robbery-impacting-india.html

Great thorium robbery impacting India's nuclear doctrine and energy security

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/67-years-nuclear-energy-nuclear.html

67 Years Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Destruction

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/15-billion-hole-in-ground-thorium-for.html

$15 billion hole in ground. Thorium for clean energy

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-reserve-in-country-narayanasamy.html

Thorium Reserve in the Country - Narayanasamy informs Lok Sabha

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-fuelled-dreams-for-indias.html

Thorium-fuelled dreams for India's energy future. How India's science is taking over the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/nuclear-materials-suppliers-group-nsg.html

Nuclear materials, suppliers group (NSG) and safeguards

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/08/depletion-of-thorium-reserves-from.html

Depletion of thorium reserves from South Indian beaches, impacting India's nucleardoctrine and energy security: 14 blogposts

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/black-monazite-sand-deposits-found-on.html

Black Monazite sand deposits found on beaches (India)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/thorium-fuel-cycle-potential-benefits.html

Thorium fuel cycle - potential benefits for India - IAEA publication (2005)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/thorium-alleged-export-of-sands-august.html

Thorium: alleged export of sands (August 2007 report)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/key-reserve-profiles-of-placer-deposits.html

Key reserve profiles of placer deposits: Chavara and Manavalakurichi (From Ph.D. thesis of Ajith G. Nair, 2001)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/valmikis-knowledge-of-oceanography-and.html

Valmiki's knowledge of oceanography and Mannar volcanic

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/mining-of-monazite-goi-response-in-lok.html

Mining of monazite (GOI response in Lok Sabha on 30 Nov. 2011)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/indian-rare-earths-limited.html

Indian Rare Earths Limited

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/08/vv-mineral-achievements.html

VV Mineral: achievements

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/theres-nuclear-gold-in-this-sand-and.html

There’s nuclear gold in this sand. And it’s being sent out with impunity – Tehelka

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/manavalakurichi.html

Manavalakurichi

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/irregularities-in-bureaucratic.html

Scam of the century involving Rs. 1340 billion thorium reserves. Irregularities inbureaucratic processes which led to encouragement of illegal mining of thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/10-point-plan-nationalise-thorium.html

10-point plan: Nationalise thorium resources of India and institute strategic command for protecting and conserving Nuclear Fuel complexes

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/illegal-thorium-mining-in-india-value.html

Illegal thorium mining in India. Value of India’s thorium reserves: Rs. 1340 billion est.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/monday-august-13-2012-must-look-into.html

‘PM must look into illegal thorium mining’

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3900879694651725760#editor/target=post;postID=876222689095259079

Uranium Is So Last Century — Enter Thorium, the New Green Nuke | Magazine