Nuclear fission currently provides a significant 'carbon free' contribution to both US and global energy needs. Despite the initial promise of nuclear energy, growth has been slow in recent decades (particularly in the US), and many dismiss its potential for the future. However, we are now seeing the first new orders for reactors in the US in 30 years, and dozens of new power reactors are being built around the world. This talk will address the current status and future potential of nuclear energy, including current constraints on growth and the potential technology developments that might enable nuclear to provide large-scale and long-term energy for society. Discussion topics include:

• Safety of nuclear power plants (including insights from Fukushima)
• Economics of nuclear energy
• Waste management options
• Scale and Sustainability vs alternatives
• Proliferation issues
• How about Fusion?

About the speaker

Dr. William (Bill) Halsey serves as Associate Program Leader for Advanced Nuclear Energy at Lawrence Livermore National Lab, and has been an engineer at the lab for over 30 years. He currently focuses on development of advanced nuclear energy technologies, and leads efforts in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle R&D at LLNL. This includes fuel cycles, spent fuel management, small modular fast reactors and fusion-fission hybrid systems. Through this work he seeks to enable the safe, secure and sustainable use of nuclear energy throughout the 21st century. Bill received his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1980 and has Masters degrees in both Nuclear Engineering and Material Science. He has worked on the Yucca Mountain Project, the Laser Fusion Program, national defense programs and numerous international collaborations.