Coal, oil and natural gas still account for the vast majority of global energy consumption. In Denmark, the three traditional fossil fuels account for about 60 per cent of energy consumption. Globally, the figure is approximately 80 per cent. The Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) has just awarded a total of 120 million DKK (16 million euros) to two projects with potential to advance nuclear energy research significantly.

One project is being led by Professor Anja-Verena Mudring from the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering at Aarhus University. The project is called "SMARTER – Salt Melts for Advanced Reactor Technology and Energy Research", and it has received 8 million euros or 60 million DKK from the NNF's 2024 Challenge Programme.

The project revolves around molten salt reactors (MSR). An MSR encases the nuclear fuel in molten salts. They were developed as early as the 1950s, and they can be designed so that the nuclear material cannot be used to make weapons.

The SMARTER project aims to fill in knowledge gaps in and around the technology to pave the way for Danish nuclear technology from companies such as Seaborg Technologies and Copenhagen Atomics, and to enable use of the technology for other applications, such as thermal storage of surplus renewable energy.

"Denmark is uniquely positioned to develop this technology very rapidly thanks to its robust and innovative industry. Companies such as Seaborg Technologies and Copenhagen Atomics are investing in SMR technology, while companies such as Hyme Energy and Aalborg CSP are exploring energy storage in salts. This project marks an important step towards utilizing molten salts for a safer and more sustainable energy supply and ensuring that Denmark remains at the forefront in this critical area," says Anja-Verena Mudring in a press release from the NNF.

Vice-dean for Research at the Faculty of Technical Sciences at Aarhus University, Brian Vinter, adds:

"Research is driven by trying to overcome difficult problems. A safe-by-design nuclear reactor without residues is a good example of such a problem. The research will also support the green transition in other ways. Molten salt is a well-known method of storing energy at very high temperatures. Anja's research will therefore also help develop efficient storage of surplus power from wind turbines and solar cells," he says.

In the SMARTER project, Anja-Verena Mudring will gather a team of experts from Denmark and the US to take a closer look at the problems associated with the use of molten salts. The project will run for a total of six years. 

Contact

Professor Anja-Verena Mudring
Aarhus University, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering
Mail: anja-verena.mudring@bce.au.dk
Tel.: +4593522798