Since the discussion yesterday strayed onto nuclear power, check out this link to Bill Gates Travelling Wave Reactor, a fourth generation large reactor due to commence construction with a Chinese partner by 2018 (Fact Sheet: The TWR: Bringing Nuclear Technology to its Fullest Potential.)
 
For a number of reasons the chance of such a large nuclear plant in Australia in the foreseeable future is about zero.
 
However there is great interest around the world in the development of small modular reactors (SMRs)
 
One that is expected to be at the construction stage shortly is the Nuscale version. It uses third generation technology as do most of the others, probably in the interests of getting something to market sooner rather than later.
​
Nuscale expects 1000 of these units to be in service by 2035. Their website is worth exploring. It is a possible candidate for use in the NEM in Australia at some stage. Fourth gen would have enormous benefits eg no need to refuel in 60 year life time and all the reasons mentioned in Bill Gates article above plus weapons grade plutonium almost non existent and added safety of being buried. It needs a breakthrough in materials technology.
 
http://www.nuscalepower.com/
 
A discussion on safety, non proliferation, security etc is included in the excellent 344 page Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission Report of 2016, available for those with the endurance to read it at
 
https://yoursay.sa.gov.au/pages/nuclear-fuel-cycle-royal-commission-report-release/
 

​Les Rodgers

David, Terry, Peter and myself met at Rustik on the 25 May at 3pm . Len was an apology and Brent was en route to if not in Canada.
 
Consensus seems to be that the afternoon was decided as our meeting time at our last Techsavvy Talks meeting. 
 
We discussed the Grattan report (refer previous post) into the difficulties facing the NEMO with the currently unworkable arrangements of state governments doing their own thing and the commonwealth making add hoc decisions about building more taxpayer funded generating capacity all with no coherent policy.
 
Peter* brought an interesting article on tyre pressure monitoring which would be very useful for those with expensive tyres as I found out recently.
 
Next meeting - fourth Thursday at 3 pm at Rustik!

​Les Rodgers

*Vinen, N and Simpson, L (2017) Keeping Track of your Tyre Pressure without leaving the car Silicon Chip p 48-52  (Link is to preview only)

Les has recommended the following article as a a preread before this week's coffee catchup at Rustik. 

Here's the article from the Grattan Institute - Powering Through - How to Restore Confidence in the Electricity Market.  It has links to a podcast, the full report and more at the bottom of the article.  

There's a bit of confusion about the time as Les's email said 3 pm which is the time he'll be facilitating the conversation at Rustik.  Bev heard 10.30 am - which is in the newsletter and on the calendar on the website - so wil be at Rustik at 10.30 am just in case someone arrives then!

Silicon Chip Magazine, May 2017 (click on image for link to preview - see Peter to borrow article.