Category: News Story

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Vandenhove’s early studies were strongly influenced by her childhood setting, growing up on a farm in Julémont, southern Belgium. This, combined with her natural love for science, her godfather’s experiences in international development projects, and her father’s guidance to “find joy” in her work, led her into agricultural engineering.  

Specifically, Vandenhove focused on soil science and phytotechnics, the use of plant systems to improve the environment. At university in Leuven (KU Leuven) she earned an engineering degree in 1988 and then signed up for her PhD in Agricultural Engineering.  

Her internal drive also resulted in obtaining a Fellowship in Environmental Science and Engineering at the University of British Columbia, after which Vandenhove was back in Belgium, looking for jobs.  She says she created the opportunities that came next by “picking up the phone and asking”.  

One of those calls was to the “brilliant” late Professor Adrien Cremers, whom Vandenhove said was the person who introduced her to the nuclear field. Together, they proposed a research project to the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN) on soil–plant transfer of radiocaesium, against the background of the 1985 Chornobyl accident. At the same time, Roel Merckx, professor emeritus of soil science at KU Leuven asked Vandenhove to coordinate a project on use of rock phosphate as fertilizer for rice in Sri Lanka — she took on both projects. “A daunting task she was eager to embrace,” Merckx said.  

Reaching Sri Lanka in 1993, Vandenhove was confronted with an unexpected challenge: “I didn’t know anything about rice, I didn’t know anything the science of phosphorous, I didn’t know anything about working in Sri Lanka and on my second day my local counterpart said, ‘I’m leaving’.” Vandenhove found herself leading a team of 20 people on her own, setting up rice cultivation trials with different fertilizer regimes in different regions in Sri Lanka. She describes this period as one of “steady learning” to understand the system in which to execute the project and to design a path forward towards project realization, with a team who “thrived in the process”.  

In 1994, Vandenhove returned to Belgium, to join SCK CEN, where she began the next stage of her career by patenting a new method for the fixation of trace amounts of radiocaesium — a discovery that she says could have been easily missed had she not revisted and thoroughly explored the data. “The backing of the SCK CEN Director General contributed to me fulfilling my potential,” says Vandenhove. 

Over the next 28 years at SCK CEN, Vandenhove helped pave the way for women — as the first woman in higher managerial roles, including as Head of the Biosphere Impact Studies Unit, and then as Deputy Director of the Environment, Health and Safety Institute and then as SCK CEN Institute Director, for an eight year period. She led over 270 staff on projects related to radiation protection, waste and disposal, and decommissioning. Former colleague and SCK CEN Institute Director Frank Hardeman speaks of Vandenhove as a “visionary”. 

Vandenhove echoes the hard work involved as well as a willingness to “evolve as a scientist” in becoming a project coordinator and leader, which has led to some of the experiences she says she values the most: human connection across cultures. 

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

In a session that touched on the need for increased investments and the challenges in financing nuclear newbuild projects, Mr Grossi cited the technology sector as a potential new market for advanced nuclear technologies. According to the International Energy Agency, electricity consumption from data centres, artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrencies account for 2% of global electricity consumption, but may double by 2026.  

“The nuclear industry and the IAEA are taking a prospective look at the future of nuclear energy, for example talking to AI and data centre companies that are considering nuclear as a tailor-made solution for their clean firm electricity supply needs,” Mr Grossi said. “Nuclear fit for purpose, in other words.” 

The IAEA also took an active role in side events at the World Energy Congress. This included a session organized by the Asian Development Bank that examined the role of integrated energy planning and financing approaches for clean energy projects Asia and the Pacific, and an event on advanced reactor developments organized by the China National Nuclear Corporation. 

The IAEA also organized a side event with speakers from the Directorate for Nuclear Energy in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy of the Netherlands, the Electric Power Research Institute, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the World Nuclear Association. The event focused on the opportunities and challenges that the sector will face in the coming years as the push to reach net zero by mid-century accelerates. 

Amid emerging energy challenges, the Netherlands intends to expand its existing nuclear reactor fleet. “Our commitment to advancing both nuclear and renewable energy highlights our comprehensive approach to achieving environmental sustainability and economic viability,” said Martijn Schut, Director for Nuclear Energy at the Netherlands’ Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, at the event. 

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The IAEA has published a safety guide to protect students and researchers who use radioactive material or radiation in learning or research.  

Students and researchers who work with radiation sources are integral to shaping a strong safety culture in tomorrow’s nuclear workforce. To provide guidance, the IAEA has published the tailored guide with recommendations for the safe use of radioactive material in research and educational establishments, entitled Radiation Safety in the Use of Radiation Sources in Research and Education.  

“The use of radiation sources and radioactive material in academic and research programmes is increasing globally,” said Haridasan Pappinisseri Puthanveedu, IAEA Senior Safety Officer, who coordinated the development of the publication, adding that “a harmonized effort is necessary to protect students and teachers in institutions worldwide as well as the general public.” 

A wide variety of radiation sources are used in research and education, from teaching basic science principles in secondary schools to scientific research projects. These sources include sealed radioactive sources, unsealed radioactive material, and radiation generators such as X ray units, accelerators and neutron generators, which can be used for testing radiation monitoring instruments in laboratories and in secondary school demonstrations.  

The recommendations in this publication are aimed primarily at academic and research institutions that are authorized to use sealed radiation sources in their programme. They may also be of interest to individuals working for regulatory bodies and other organizations involved in the design, manufacture, supply and service of sealed radiation sources and associated equipment for research and education. 

“This new safety guide forms part of our continuous effort to promote partnerships among schools, universities, research institutes and national regulators, to ensure the safe handling of radioactive materials,” Puthanveedu emphasised. 

The guidance covers the basic principles of radiation protection, information about different types of radiation sources, the duties and responsibilities of operating organizations, recommendations for the design of facilities, laboratories and equipment and advice on conducting safety assessments. As the use of radioactive sources can lead to the generation of radioactive waste, the guide also covers the safe transportation, storage and disposal of radioactive material and waste. 

“This new guide will foster a safety culture from the very beginning, even as early as at the secondary school level, ensuring that future professionals prioritize safety in their work — a benefit that extends beyond fields related to radiation,” said Emilia Kopeć, a radiation protection expert in the Netherlands.  

The information sets out concrete measures for controlling exposure to radiation, including recommendations for the prevention of accidents and the protection of members of the public who might inadvertently be exposed to radiation, as well as guidance for emergency exposure situations. In addition, practical guidance is provided on the use of radiation sources with regard to the age of students, starting from secondary school, as well as case studies related to radiation protection of students in medical education.  

Rafael Garcia-Tenorio, Director of the National Centre of Accelerators at the University of Seville in Spain said: “In my centre, all young technicians and PhD students will have this comprehensive guide as a reference. It will also be extremely useful in developing countries.” 

The new publication is available free of charge here. 

This safety guide forms part of the IAEA’s Safety Standards, which provide the fundamental principles, requirements and recommendations to ensure nuclear safety. The series serves as a global reference for protecting people and the environment and contributes to a harmonized high level of safety worldwide. 

Further information on the IAEA Safety Standards can be found here, and IAEA e-learning modules on the topic can be accessed in six languages here. 

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The IAEA has kicked of a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the G20, with the Agency set to contribute to the work of the world’s largest economic grouping on the key role that nuclear energy can play in achieving energy security and climate change goals. 

The Agency began this participation with the G20 (Group of Twenty) under the Presidency of Brazil as an invited organization in the Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG), which takes place under the G20 Sherpa Track. An Agency report presented to the working group last week in its first in-person meeting in Brasilia, laid out how policy shifts and better access to financing mechanisms are essential for nuclear power deployment to scale up to the level needed for the world to reach net zero by 2050. 

This is the first time the IAEA has presented to the G20 on issues related to nuclear power, following on from successful prior engagements on the value of nuclear techniques for fighting plastic pollution. 

Nuclear Energy for Net Zero: Accelerating Investment in the Clean Energy Transitions provides an overview of nuclear power in the clean energy mix, underscoring the need to speed up nuclear investments to meet net zero goals, especially in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs). 

The IAEA will be making a series of contributions to the working group throughout 2024, providing information on nuclear energy’s key role in the net zero transition. 

Nuclear energy already plays a key role in most of the countries of the G20, which is the main forum for international economic cooperation, representing 85% of global economic output, more than 75% of global trade and two-thirds of the world’s population. Fourteen G20 countries operate nuclear power plants, two are considering adding the technology to their energy mix, and six joined the pledge to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 made at COP28 in Dubai. 

“The global clean energy transition requires nuclear energy – that is absolutely clear. In the past months the world has embraced that fact in several milestones, including by nuclear’s inclusion in the first Global Stocktake at COP28; in the pledge by more than 20 countries to triple nuclear capacity, and also in our landmark Nuclear Energy Summit last month,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said. “Through the leadership of the Brazilian Presidency of the G20, the IAEA is helping to further build on this momentum within the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group”.  

The ETWG discusses the use of clean and sustainable energy sources and the pathways to a fair, accessible and inclusive energy transition. Under the Brazilian Presidency, the working group will prioritize three main themes: how to accelerate financing of energy transitions, especially in emerging markets and developing economies; the social dimension of the energy transition; and perspectives of sustainable fuel innovation. 

The document presented by the IAEA in Brasilia calls for a combination of a supportive policy environment and improved access to finance to scale up investments in nuclear energy, particularly in developing economies. Investments in nuclear power will need to more than double from current levels to more than $100 billion annually if the world is to reach net zero, the document notes, in line with estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA). 

“The outlook presented by the IAEA tells a very important story around the scientific consensus on the role of nuclear energy to reach net zero, highlighting the acknowledgement of the role of nuclear in climate agreements and the recognition by the IPCC and climate experts that nuclear is needed to achieve net zero. It is fundamental to bring this to the ETWG discussions,” said Thiago Barral, Secretary of Planning and Energy Transition of the Ministry of Mines of Brazil. 

The IAEA’s technical work with the G20 will culminate in October when it releases another report, Climate Change and Nuclear Power 2024: Financing Nuclear Energy in Low Carbon Transitions. The new report will examine the dynamics of nuclear project financing for low carbon transitions and will be released in the run-up to the G20 Presidential Summit and COP29, and on the sidelines of the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting and the Clean Energy Ministerial and Mission Innovation meetings. 

For the next working group meeting at the end of May, the IAEA will release a toolkit produced for the G20 on sustainable energy planning, building on decades of the IAEA’s expertise in enhancing national and regional capacities for energy system analysis and planning, including capacity building in developing economies and the transfer of energy planning tools and methodologies.  

“Energy is absolutely fundamental to society. Countries need to plan carefully so that their people have access to reliable, affordable and sustainable sources. The IAEA assists developing and developed countries in this endeavor, and that includes working with the experts within the G20,” Mr Grossi said. 

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An IAEA programme to provide virtual oncology expertise to cancer patients in developing countries has shown to be a wide success – engaging over 500 radiotherapy professionals from 19 countries and helping hospitals improve care for many patients, according to a comprehensive review. 

In November last year, more than 30 cancer experts from across the Asia and the Pacific region gathered in Bali, Indonesia to conduct a comprehensive review of the three year implementation of virtual ‘tumour boards’. Such boards offer a means of pooling oncological expertise and resources from around the region to improve clinical decision making and better address cancer care challenges.  

Virtual tumour boards (VTBs) are online versions of traditional tumour boards – meetings that in high- income countries are mostly held within the same oncology facility, where experts from across the medical spectrum meet on a regular basis to review cancer cases and treatment plans.  

“The uniqueness of each specific cancer case – caused by factors such as the precise location and extent of a cancer, a patient’s existing medical conditions or social circumstances can complicate treatment decisions,” said Sandra Ndarukwa, Associate Education Officer in the Division of Human Health, IAEA Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications. Leveraging insights from across medical disciplines, tumour boards allow new and complex cases to be peer reviewed by a range of experts, resulting in better treatment planning. “Ultimately, they contribute to an enhanced quality of individual patient care,” she added. 

Holding tumour boards in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where oncology centres often lack the required levels of staffing and resources can be challenging. In response, the Asia-Pacific Radiation Oncology Network (ASPRONET) has been experimenting with VTBs as a means of supporting cancer care decisions in the region.  

Over the course of three years, these virtual sessions actively engaged over 500 radiotherapy professionals from 19 countries, supporting clinical decision-making for over 140 cases. Their launch coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, amplifying the benefit of digital platforms in enhancing patient care and professional development. By bringing together health professionals from so many different countries, they are a testament to the power of South-South and South-North collaboration in addressing regional challenges. 

“Despite obstacles caused by different time zones and languages, ASPRONET has emerged as a crucial resource in enhancing cancer decision making and treatment planning in the region,” said Dr Iain Ward, Radiation Oncologist at Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand and Project Lead Country Coordinator for the IAEA. “For this reason, we have asked the IAEA to continue supporting the initiative through the means of its technical cooperation programme,” he added.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Mr Grossi then spoke with Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja on a range of nuclear topics. Romania has one of the world’s top performing nuclear power plants and is making important progress on the development of small modular reactors. 

The Director General said: “We are in a moment where interesting opportunities are opening in the energy market and of course Romania has a unique role to play. Your country has a very impressive capacity and impeccable safety record when it comes to nuclear power, which I believe also sustains your impetus to venture into new nuclear, in the case of small modular reactors.”  

“I see nuclear being accelerated in Romania. The IAEA is with you, supporting you every step of the way.” 

The Director General also met with Mihăiță Găină, President of the Nuclear and Radioactive Waste Agency (ANDR). Mr Găină highlighted the key role of the IAEA in supporting peaceful nuclear activities in Romania, including through 77 local and regional technical cooperation projects. 

Romania will host next year’s ConvEx-3, a full-scale IAEA exercise designed to evaluate the implementation of international emergency response arrangements and capabilities for a severe nuclear emergency. 

Mr Grossi spoke with Cantemir Ciurea-Ercău, President of the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) to discuss the commission’s key role and its collaboration with the IAEA for this major exercise and for nuclear regulatory activities in the country. 

He said: “Romania’s National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control plays a key role in Romania’s successful nuclear program and its innovative future steps.” 

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is a daunting challenge, and will require a significant expansion of clean energy sources, including nuclear power. In the short term, the bulk of nuclear new build projects are expected to be light water reactors, the same reactor type that drove the initial nuclear power deployment boom in the 20th century. But other designs under development, including those that use molten salts as both the fuel and the coolant, may play a role as well.

In many ways, molten salt reactors (MSRs) are not so different from conventional nuclear power reactors. Like the pressurized and boiling water reactors that have been industry staples since the early days of nuclear power, MSRs leverage controlled fission reactions to produce electricity. But unlike water-cooled reactors, MSR cores are cooled with salts, a design feature which may confer numerous advantages in terms of efficiency and make MSRs especially suitable for non-electric applications.

The origins of MSRs can be traced to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in the United States. Initially developed as part of the Aircraft Reactor Experiment in the 1950s, ORNL then ran a trial known as the Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) from 1965 to 1969, operating an experimental 7.34 MW (th) MSR. The project established proof of concept for reactors powered by liquid fuel and cooled by molten salts.

“While MSRs were first conceived of and tested several decades ago, this reactor type has yet to see commercial deployment, though this may change in the near future,” said Tatjana Jevremovic, the Acting Head of the IAEA’s Nuclear Power Technology Development Section. “Molten salt coolants have exceptional capacity for heat absorption, which could allow MSRs to operate at the very high temperatures needed to produce high-grade heat to drive industrial processes including hydrogen production.”  

MSRs may use molten salts as a coolant and/or fuel. Most designs are based around liquid fuels dissolved in the molten salt-based coolant. Others are powered by the more traditional solid fuel rods, with the molten salts only serving as the coolant.

A new publication in the IAEA’s Technical Report Series, Status of Molten Salt Reactor Technology, outlines the current status of MSR technology around the world. It reviews the history of MSRs and takes a look at the current research and development activities taking place. The advantages of this technology, including a smaller high level waste footprint and passive safety features, as well as some of the technical challenges, such as developing components capable of operating in very high temperature environments, are detailed.

“Once sufficient experience will be collected, MSRs have the potential to be the most economical reactor type for closed fuel cycle operation,” said Jiri Krepel, a Senior Scientist in the Advanced Nuclear Systems Group at the Paul Scherrer Institute and Chair of the MSR Working Group in the Generation IV International Forum. “Several designs, utilizing thorium-232 and uranium-238, could provide an unprecedented combination of safety and fuel cycle sustainability.”

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Scientists in the Sahel are finding quality groundwater sources — thanks to a nuclear technique and a decade of support and training from the IAEA.

Water resources in Africa are under pressure due to growing water demand, water quality degradation and climate change. On the continent, more than 41 groundwater aquifers are shared by two or more countries, making a joint approach to protection beneficial.

To strengthen characterization, management and monitoring of groundwater resources in Africa, the IAEA is supporting  African experts to use nuclear techniques such as Isotope hydrology. By analysing naturally occurring isotopes (a type of atom) in groundwater, scientists can assess the age, vulnerability and sustainability of water resources. The analysis of nitrogen isotopes in water can also be used to work out the source of pollutants which threaten aquifers, strengthening water security and resilience planning.

The IAEA is equipped with a state-of-the-art Isotope Hydrology Laboratory, which maps water and provides scientific insights for the sustainable management of water resources like rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers.

Through its technical cooperation programme, the IAEA has been providing training, support for academic research and equipment to African scientists in the Sahel region, which has particularly scarce water resources and is dependent on groundwater.

Following earlier projects,  experts from the 13 countries in the Sahel can now better characterize shared groundwater resources in five basins in support of sustainable socioeconomic development. The current project builds on a decade of work by countries in the Sahel region, supported by the IAEA, to address water scarcity and support its transboundary management. It is now being expanded to include shared basins in the south of the continent and to introduce the use of nitrogen isotopes for water quality studies.

Scientists participating in the project have already confirmed the presence of a large amount of quality groundwater in the Sahel basins using isotope hydrology. This is a key discovery, considering the important role that groundwater can play in water supply for the region.

The IAEA has recently provided the Applied Hydrology and Environmental Geology Laboratory of the University of Lomé, Togo, with a laser isotope analyser used to measure stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen in water samples. The laboratory is operated by Togolese scientist Goumpoukini Boguido.

“Today, it is thanks to the support of the IAEA in my training that our laboratory produces high-quality analytical results and can conduct research projects and provide good quality analytical services even outside Togo”, said Boguido, who completing his doctoral degree with the support of the IAEA.

Scientists participating in the project have already confirmed a large amount of quality groundwater in the Sahel basins using isotope hydrology. This is a key discovery, considering the important role that groundwater can play in water supply for the region.

Through South–South cooperation, Boguido carries out physico-chemical and isotopic analyses of water samples collected in various parts of the region. He also supervises students at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels.

Head of the HydroGeosciences and Reservoirs Laboratory (LHGR) at the University of N’Djaména in Chad, Abdallah Mahamat Nour, said the IAEA technical cooperation project had helped his work as a postdoctoral fellow.

“My postdoctoral project has made it possible to make significant progress in understanding the water resources of the Lake Chad basin,” said Mahamat Nour. “The support has enabled me to set up a number of tools and equipment that are now very useful for the LHGR laboratory activities”.  Mahamat Nour also supervises the research work of several Chadian IAEA fellows, guiding them in their research projects using isotope hydrology.

Through an IAEA postgraduate programme for doctoral, master’s and postdoctoral fellows, students are learning to better characterize water samples to map groundwater resources, leading to regional self-reliance in isotope hydrology. The programme has enrolled 60 students, among whom 21 are women. Seven students have already completed the course and graduated.

Collaborative scientific publications involving authors from the participating countries are appearing in scholarly journals – an excellent example of South-South cooperation.

Building on the initial phase of the current project, it is now expanding its scope from the Sahel to include other parts of Africa. The programme will continue to support the existing network of countries in the Sahel region and will seek to increase coverage to include Member States in the south of the continent sharing water resources, such as the Orange River, the Medium Zambezi Aquifer System, the Inkomati-Maputo and the Greater Okavango River Basins.

The IAEA has implemented a series of large-scale projects on the Sahel region’s water resources assessment and management through its technical cooperation programme. The projects support the sustainable management of shared groundwater resources in the region, contributing to regional and local socioeconomic development in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA