A new company is joining a nascent industry seeking to recycle spent nuclear fuel with a $12 million seed funding round and a partnership with the Department of Energy.
The business Project Omega, developed with Chris Hanson, former chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, plans to make batteries that convert radiation from isotopes into electricity using semiconductors. The battery technology generally offers longer lifespans but lower power output than traditional lithium-ion batteries.
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is working with Project Omega to test the technology.
“We hope to demonstrate the use of spent nuclear fuel in the nuclear power systems critical to inspiring the next generation of scientists,” said David Koch, a senior scientist at the PNNL. “This may also help to transform the conversation around spent nuclear fuel from one of waste to that of an enabling national resource.”
