An Editorial by David J. Hill
Associate Laboratory Director Energy and Engineering Sciences

David J. Hill, Associate Laboratory Director, Energy and Engineering Sciences

The widespread concern over the role of carbon dioxide in global warming has led to a growing realization that nuclear energy is the only commercially available, carbon-free form of large-scale energy production. Thus, a broad consensus has emerged that nuclear energy must remain a vital part of the energy mix for our nation. As a result, the current administration featured nuclear energy prominently in the Energy Policy Document issued in 2001. Furthermore, Congress is currently debating a new energy policy that envisages a larger role for nuclear energy research in the future and authorizes research into advanced reactors for hydrogen cogeneration and the nuclear fuel cycle.

In response to this growing national interest in nuclear energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory formed the Nuclear Science and Technology Division (NSTD) in October 2001 to consolidate the nuclear capabilities at the Laboratory. As the Laboratory's largest research division, NSTD, together with the unparalleled materials development expertise in ORNL's Metals and Ceramics Division, provides the basis for ORNL to be a leader once again in nuclear-related research. Many of today's nuclear reactor challenges call upon ORNL's past experience and expertise in particle fuels, materials, nuclear power systems, and gas centrifuge technologies—giving our work a "back to the future" theme.

Four main issues impede the development of nuclear energy: economics, waste, nonproliferation, and safety. ORNL is engaged in programs that address all of these issues in either current or future nuclear systems. This issue of the ORNL Review highlights a broad spectrum of programs that utilize ORNL's unique capabilities to address these issues. Nonetheless, some significant areas of nuclear work performed at ORNL (for example, research related to nuclear medicine and nuclear security) are not included. Although most of the programs described here rely on unique ORNL technologies and capabilities, such as particle fuels and gas centrifuges, many of the programs are collaborative in nature. Our research partners include commercial entities such as the United States Enrichment Corporation, other national laboratories, and various National Aeronautics and Space Administration facilities.

As the country reinitiates research and development efforts aimed at producing a new generation of nuclear technologies that address the key issues for nuclear energy, the cooperative efforts of the whole nuclear infrastructure in the United States will be needed to make this a successful endeavor. An increasing amount of international cooperation will be required. Exactly how these partnerships will develop is unclear, but develop they will. Because of its combination of critical technologies, dedicated staff, and long-established experience of cooperation with both domestic and international partners, ORNL is well positioned to help lead the nuclear renaissance.

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