The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory recently held a series of workshops in six cities that brought together more than 120 energy experts to discuss nuclear innovation with the goal of starting an ongoing dialogue among the experts and laypersons.
Among the participants were representatives from the Massachusetts Institute for Technology, Oregon State University, Ohio State University, North Carolina State University, Boise State University and the University of New Mexico.
Ultimately, the DOE hopes to generate ideas for increasing energy availability using nuclear sources while decreasing emissions.
Themes that emerged from the workshops included improving communication, modernizing regulation, stabilizing federal funding, increasing private investments and embracing advanced manufacturing technology
The DOE plans to further explore the themes and will compile them into specific recommendations to be presented to Congress.
The department also will be accepting suggestions from the general public through July.
