The United States Department of Energy just announced $19.1 million in funding to support more nuclear energy research and development. That adds to the nearly $1 billion in nuclear energy research funding that the DOE has doled out since 2009.
"U.S. universities and colleges are critical incubators of groundbreaking ideas that can move us toward a clean energy future," said Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Kathryn Huff. "These awards invest in the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers who will continue to advance nuclear energy as a solution to tackling the climate crisis."
This round of funding will be spread out among university faculty studying nuclear energy, scholarships and fellowships for students, and awards for nuclear research projects.
While clean energy sources like wind and solar tend to grab a larger share of the headlines, there is vast potential for nuclear power when it comes to replacing air pollution–producing dirty energy sources like gas and oil. As a result, the government is leaning heavily into subsidizing the research and development needed to make it even safer and more efficient.
While many people associate nuclear power with the Chernobyl disaster of 1986, its proponents are quick to explain that it is far safer already than the general public realizes — especially when compared to oil. In addition, it produces no air pollution or planet-overheating emissions.
"Nuclear energy is akin to a climate savior, given the overwhelming utility, low risk, and sustainability available from this technology," Robert Hayes, an associate professor of nuclear engineering at North Carolina State University, wrote in a study. "The U.S. should seriously seek to drastically expand its replacement of fossil fuels with nuclear energy to address both climate change and energy security."
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently issued its first construction permit for a new type of nuclear test reactor for the first time in decades.
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