Australia Australian Researchers Tender

ANSTO is home to Australias expertise in nuclear science and technology and provides advice to Government on developments relating to new and emerging nuclear power technologies. This includes advanced reactors such small modular reactors also commonly referred to as SMRs Generation IV reactors and looking further ahead to the possibility of fusion energy.The Australian Government recently signed a landmark emissions reduction technology deal with the United Kingdom which includes nuclear energy and clean hydrogen among the six key low emission technologies the two countries hope to advance.Last year the Australian Government released Australias Technology Investment Roadmap. In the roadmap small modular reactors are identified as a watching brief technology. While Australia has a moratorium on nuclear generation and the Government does not plan to lift it without bipartisan support for watching brief technologies the Government will continue to monitor international developments and ensure Australian households and businesses are able to exercise consumer choice and adopt the latest technologies where it makes sense for them to do so. Under the agreement Australia and the UK will collaborate on research and share new knowledge in relation to new nuclear power technologies -small modular reactors as well as scalable and commercially viable storage.The Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction the Hon Minister Angus Taylor MP has said that the agreement aligned with Australias technology-led approach.This partnership is aligned with Australias technology-led approach to reducing emissions and will help deliver on the goals of the Technology Investment Roadmap said Minister Taylor in a media statement.Prof Andrew Peele ANSTO Group Executive Nuclear Science and Technology welcomed the announcement of the partnership saying With our existing ties to research and nuclear organisations in the UK there is a natural opportunity for ANSTO to contribute to this work.Our expertise in SMRs and Generation IV reactors will mean that Australia has homegrown knowledge and expertise in relation to these emerging technologies said Peele.As a member if of the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA ANSTO monitors and contributes to developments relating to SMRs globally.Through its representation of Australia in the Generation IV International Forum ANSTO also keeps a keen eye on the potential future use of advanced nuclear reactors in clean hydrogen production particularly through involvement in the collaborative research and development of very high-temperature reactors.Recently the IAEA reported that steps are underway at the international and industry levels for a coordinated approach to the economics of developing SMRs and issues around regulation for future deployment. ANSTO is contributing to this effort as reported on our website.In June the IAEA announced a series of virtual workshops on economic aspects associated with different generations of nuclear power reactors as the need for climate change mitigation and sustainable development drives growing global interest in SMRs and other emerging reactor technologies.The IAEA has stated that emerging reactor concepts like SMRs are among the most promising emerging technologies in nuclear power and have the potential to play a key role in the clean energy transition particularly in contributing to the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors such as industry and heat.Recognising the increasing global interest in SMRs which are expected to become an option for flexible generation for a wide range of users and applications including in the developing world the IAEA recently established a platform to provide integrated support to Member States on all aspects of their development deployment and oversight. Read moreThe IAEA is facilitating knowledge exchange on the regulation considerations through an SMRs Regulators Forum and the provision of resources.