Summary
Some nuclear startups are using side products from their work, like ingredients for cancer drugs, to make money. They do this to support their main goal of building advanced nuclear power plants, which takes a long time and is expensive. Companies like TerraPower and SHINE Technologies are involved in these efforts, aiming to use profits from these side projects to fund their nuclear energy developments.
Key Facts
- Nuclear startups are creating side products, such as cancer drug ingredients, to generate early profits.
- TerraPower is focusing on producing medical isotopes, which are radioactive atoms used for medical purposes.
- TerraPower's first advanced nuclear reactor's target start date moved from 2028 to 2030 due to fuel shortages.
- Fusion startups are developing side businesses, as their primary technology takes longer to develop.
- SHINE Technologies follows a phased approach, selling fusion energy to sectors like defense before producing electricity.
- High-paying customers in the defense sector, like jet engine makers, pay significantly for fusion-generated energy.
- SHINE Technologies removed "Medical" from its name to clarify its focus on fusion energy.
