Generation IV International Forum
Encyclopedia
Nine countries, as well as the member states of the European Union (represented by the European Atomic Energy Community) are working together as the Generation IV International Forum (GiF) to lay the groundwork for the Generation IV reactor
.
From 2000 onwards, nuclear power plants have been categorised in 'generations'. The categories are commonly described as;
The next generation of nuclear energy systems — Generation IV — must be licensed, constructed and operated in a manner that will provide a competitively priced supply of energy. They must consider an optimum use of natural resources, while addressing nuclear safety, waste and proliferation resistance and public perception concerns of the countries in which those systems are deployed.
Recognizing both the positive attributes and shortcomings of the prior generations of reactor designs, ten countries are working together to lay the groundwork for a fourth generation, called Generation IV. The governmental entities are working together as the Generation IV International Forum (GIF).
Because the next generation of nuclear energy systems will address needed areas of improvement and offer great potential, many countries share a common interest in advanced research and development. Such development will benefit from the identification and promising research areas and collaborative efforts that should be explored by the international research committee.
The collaboration on research and development by nations on the development of advanced next generation nuclear energy systems will aid the progress toward the realization of such systems.
* : Non-active members, .
The United States would also back Australia
's bid to become a member of this forum to develop next generation nuclear energy systems.
"Australia intends to participate in the global nuclear energy partnership and there'll be great benefits in terms of access to nuclear technology and non-proliferation", Mr. Howard
said.
"The United States will support Australian membership in the Generation IV International Forum which involves R&D to develop safer and better nuclear reactors."
Generation IV reactor
Generation IV reactors are a set of theoretical nuclear reactor designs currently being researched. Most of these designs are generally not expected to be available for commercial construction before 2030...
.
- Generation I: prototypes,
- Generation IIGeneration II reactorA generation II reactor is a design classification for a nuclear reactor, and refers to the class of commercial reactors built up to the end of the 1990s...
: current operating plants, and - Generation III and III+Generation III reactorA generation III reactor is a development of any of the generation II nuclear reactor designs incorporating evolutionary improvements in design developed during the lifetime of the generation II reactor designs...
: advanced reactors.
The next generation of nuclear energy systems — Generation IV — must be licensed, constructed and operated in a manner that will provide a competitively priced supply of energy. They must consider an optimum use of natural resources, while addressing nuclear safety, waste and proliferation resistance and public perception concerns of the countries in which those systems are deployed.
Recognizing both the positive attributes and shortcomings of the prior generations of reactor designs, ten countries are working together to lay the groundwork for a fourth generation, called Generation IV. The governmental entities are working together as the Generation IV International Forum (GIF).
Because the next generation of nuclear energy systems will address needed areas of improvement and offer great potential, many countries share a common interest in advanced research and development. Such development will benefit from the identification and promising research areas and collaborative efforts that should be explored by the international research committee.
The collaboration on research and development by nations on the development of advanced next generation nuclear energy systems will aid the progress toward the realization of such systems.
Members
- ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
* - BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
* - CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
- European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(represented by Euratom) - FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
- JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
- Republic of Korea
- Russian Federation
- Republic of South Africa *
- SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
- United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
* - United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
The United States would also back Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's bid to become a member of this forum to develop next generation nuclear energy systems.
"Australia intends to participate in the global nuclear energy partnership and there'll be great benefits in terms of access to nuclear technology and non-proliferation", Mr. Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
said.
"The United States will support Australian membership in the Generation IV International Forum which involves R&D to develop safer and better nuclear reactors."