Innovation project: Canadian Uranium Energy Bridge

The Brilliant Energy Institute recently combined its nuclear research talent with the design expertise of George Brown College's Brookfield Sustainability Institute to explore new, sustainable energy solutions in the nuclear sector.

Students and researchers from both institutions collaborated with energy industry professionals to answer a key question: Can we make nuclear energy simpler, smaller and more affordable?

The team identified key markets for sub-megawatt electricity consumption, including small remote communities, as well as remote mining, telecommunications, and off-grid data centres. In these applications, energy demand is lower, but reliability and fuel longevity are still essential. In addition, a clean, efficient alternative like nuclear power would reduce overall demand for fossil fuels in these markets, and lead to cost savings.

The team then designed a concept nano reactor called the Canadian Uranium Energy Bridge (CUEB): a turnkey energy service untethered from the electrical grid. Measuring only eight feet (approximately 2.4 metres) wide, about the width of a shipping container, the subcritical nuclear generator is capable of producing hundreds of kilowatts of power that could be used to generate electricity or for district heating. The CUEB is modular and scalable; its whole life cost would be competitive with fossil fuel solutions and deployable at a per-kilowatt cost that could be a fraction of other nuclear solutions, all with zero operating emissions. The university also created a life-size model of CUEB.

How to get involved

Ontario Tech invites collaborations with other organizations that could contribute to this project. Want to learn more about opportunities to get involved? Contact us at brilliantenergy@ontariotechu.ca.