Studies show that many of the problems associated with Nuclear Reactors are solved with Molten Salt Reactors such as the proposed models: the LFTR (Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor) or the IMSR.

Thorium Molten Salt Reactors were built and developed by a team led by Alvin Weinberg over a twenty year period starting in the 1950s. They are important because they:
  1. will help acieve US energy independence. Our message of thorium-based power resonates well as a deterrent from letting countries such as Russia bullying other countries in need of low cost energy.
  2. can consume waste nuclear fuel. MSR’s in the modern view are actually two Nuclear Plants in one. They can provide energy and burn up Nuclear Waste. Imagine where Pakistan, Iran and North Korea would be if this technology had been pursued back in the 1960′s when it was first proposed.
  3. safer and more stable since they don’t reach high enough temperatures for meltdown and therefore do not require expensive containment or high pressure water.
  4. provide a means for third world countries to improve their economies by replacing high carbon emission methods with far cleaner technology and cheaper than coal plants.
  5. are much more difficult to produce nuclear weapons
  6. are less expensive than traditional reactors because the biproducts are far less toxic and do not require expensive containment.
  7. Thorium is abundant and stockpiles are already stored so very little if any mining is required
  8. Robert Hargraves makes a convincing argument that it will lower the worlds population. energy=industry=jobs=education=birth control=population control
  9. LFTR’s can potentially assist in Hydrogen Production, heat buildings, help in the desalination process.
  10. will produce far more energy than wind or solar power ever could
It does seem somewhat inevitable that Thorium will be an important part of our future the question is when?

As Thorium and LFTR advocates we must consider what the possible obstacles are of running up against a targeted individuals’ own agenda. It is clear that the decision makers will have much to ponder, including trying to see how government projects might fit into the larger nuclear agenda. So hopefully a crossover exists.

We believe that much of the battle we wish to achieve with clean nuclear energy is in re-educating the public. Getting funding has a lot to do with public opinion.

It is our hope that decision makers educate themselves about the importance of fourth generation nuclear energy. There’s no stopping China and other nations from polluting the environment beyond return without showing them a better way and nuclear energy is the better way.

The community at http://energyfromthorium.com are a rare blend of patriotic humanistic, ingenuous and ingenious group that have discussed and shared ideas that parallel the open source movement in their openness and unselfish sharing, perhaps inspiring patents and lobbyists.

Some of the individuals who are in my opinion it’s best representatives are Kirk Sorenson, Charles Barton and Robert Hargraves and Canadian David LeBlanc.

Other Sources Charles Barton’s http://nucleargreen.blogspot.com Robert Hargraves Book and Lecture Aim High http://rethinkingnuclearpower.googlepages.com/ http://rethinkingnuclearpower.googlepages.com/reactorsbybenbrabsonofindianauniversity Nuclear Power Physics in Four Pages Terrestial Energy by William Tucker