U.S. DOE-NE PROGRAMS & NUCLEAR ENERGY INNOVATION WORKSHOPS

Kemal Pasamehmetoglu Associate Laboratory Director Nuclear Science & Technology July 7-8, 2015 The NEA International Workshop on Nuclear Innovation

NUCLEAR ENERGY IS AND WILL BE A STRONG COMPONENT OF THE NATION’S “ALL OF THE ABOVE” CLEAN ENERGY POLICY

•  ~40% of energy consumed in the U.S. is in the form of electricity

•  Currently U.S. nuclear electricity generation capacity is ~100 GWe ü 20% of total electricity capacity ü 64% of clean electricity capacity ü Robust & reliable base-load electricity

•  Continued reliance on nuclear energy is essential in achieving our national goals in ü National and energy security ü Economic prosperity and competitiveness ü Diversified energy production ü Environmental stewardship and climate

change Key Strategic Driver To achieve its full potential and replace retiring capacity, innovative nuclear energy technologies, such as advanced reactors, must be ready to start penetrating the market in the 2030’s

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Avoids > 500 million metric tons of CO2 compared to electricity production by natural gas.

Predictions range from 100% to 300% increase in nuclear energy production to meet this goal, even when with rapid increase in renewable energy production and CCS technology introduction.

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NUCLEAR ENERGY RD&D NEEDS and OUTCOMES

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Nuclear Energy RD&D Goals •  Economics:

•  Competitive energy cost •  Safety and Security:

•  Improved safety margin & reduced reliance in active systems

•  Non-Proliferation •  Proliferation resistant systems & improved safeguards

•  Environmental: •  Improved resource & waste management •  Reduced environmental impact

2010 2020 2030 2040

LWR LIFE EXTENSION USED FUEL STORAGE

ADVANCED LWR BASED SYSTEMS & COMPONENTS

ADVANCED REACTORS NUCLEAR HYBRID ENERGY SUSTAINABLE FUEL CYCLE

GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY

A balanced and innovative National Nuclear Energy RD&D portfolio is needed to meet near-terms priorities and long-term objectives given the long gestation period for nuclear technologies.

NE PROGRAMS FOCUS ON FIVE OBJECTIVES AND AN NEW RD&D EXECUTION PARADIGM THAT LEADS TO ENGINEERING PRODUCTS AND OUTCOMES

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NUCLEAR ENERGY SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGIES�

FUTURE ENERGY SCENARIOS�

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Objective 1: Improve the reliability and performance, sustain the safety and security, and extend the life of current reactors by developing advanced technological solutions.

Objective 2: Meet the Administration's energy security and climate change goals by developing technologies to support the deployment of affordable advanced reactors.

Objective 3: Optimize energy generation, waste generation, safety, and non-proliferation attributes by developing sustainable nuclear fuel cycles.

Objective 4: Enable future nuclear energy options by developing and maintaining an integrated national RD&D framework.

Objective 5: Advance U. S. international civil nuclear energy priorities and objectives through collaboration .

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ENABLING INNOVATION IN NUCLEAR ENERGY WITH RAPID MARKET PENETRATION MUST BE A NATIONAL IMPERATIVE FOR THE U.S. PROGRAMS

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Innovative Concepts for Nuclear Energy e.g. Reactor Concepts, Power Conversion Systems, Fuels

Innovative Use of Existing Technologies e.g. Digital I&C

Innovative RD&D Paradigm e.g. Engineering-Driven, Science-Based Approach

Innovative Licensing Paradigm e.g. Risk Informed Safety Margin Characterization

Innovative Manufacturing/Construction Methods

Innovative Financing

Innovation in Nuclear Energy May Occur in Different Forms & RD&D Institutions Can Drive Innovation in the Top 4 Areas 5

THE NUCLEAR ENERGY TEST BED SUGGESTION WAS UNDERLINED IN THE REGIONAL INNOVATION WORKSHOPS

•  It was part of national debate for a few years now. •  It comes up in the context of the government role in stimulating

increased private sector investment in nuclear energy innovation.

•  Multiple test beds concepts being articulated depending upon –  Stakeholders representing different sectors –  Maturity of the technology being promoted –  Investment and financing strategies

•  The motivation for nuclear innovation test bed is multi-fold –  Incubation of innovative ideas

•  Many already exist & a strong NEUP program provide a good base –  Faster & cheaper maturation of technologies towards demonstration

•  First valley-of-death –  Faster & cheaper path to commercialization

•  Second valley-of-death •  Regulatory framework for 1st of a kind systems •  Financing framework for the 1st of a kind system

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Objectives of innovative nuclear energy technologies:

•  Improved economics and larger penetration into energy market

•  Improved safety & security •  Improved proliferation

resistance •  Reduced environmental

impact •  Improved resource & waste

management

Regional Nuclear Energy Innovation Workshops

TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEST BEDS MAY BE DEFINED FOR ADDRESSING THE “TWO VALLEYS OF DEATH”

7 Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)

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R&D TEST BED Rapid and cost-effective retirement of

technical risk for innovative technologies.

D&D PLATFORM Minimize the cost difference between

1st of a kind and nth of a kind and reduce the cost uncertainty for

commercial units.

9 1 3 5 8 2 7 4 6 Proof-of-Concept Proof-of-Performance Proof-of-Operations

Δ for 1st of a kind

THE GOAL OF THE TEST BED & PLATFORM IS THE RAPID COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS

R&D TEST BED TO ADDRESS TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY

•  Test Reactors (thermal, transient) •  Hot cells & glove boxes

–  Nuclear materials characterization & examination –  Out-of-pile testing with radioactive materials

•  In-pile instrumentation for targeted phenomena •  Reconfigurable thermal-hydraulic loops of different scale and heaters •  Component fabrication and testing capabilities •  Process development and testing capabilities •  Reactor physics testing capabilities

–  Reconfigurable zero-power reactors •  Knowledge and Validation Center •  Ion Beam Facilities •  Analysis of Radioactive Materials at BES User Facilities •  Modeling and simulation, High-Performance Computing A major missing element of the national RD&D infrastructure is a fast spectrum test reactor

D&D PLATFORM TO ADDRESS ECONOMIC/OPERATIONAL FEASIBILITY

•  INFRASTRUCTURE –  Well characterized DOE site

•  NEPA coverage •  External hazards risk data and assessment •  Buffer zone •  Emergency planning

–  Safeguards & security infrastructure –  Connections to grid and/or process heat applications infrastructure –  Civil engineering infrastructures

•  Roads, transportation access –  Utilities, water rights

•  REGULATORY –  Risk-based regulatory requirements for the first prototype and

development of commercial licensing requirements •  FINANCE

–  Purchase agreements and value to the government •  OTHERS?

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Crossing the “Two Valleys-of-Death”

DOE-NE BUDGET HAS BEEN FAIRLY STABLE DESPITE FEDERAL SPENDING LIMITS, WITH A SLOW AND STEADY INCREASE IN RECENT YEARS.

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