Shipping Nuclear Power Out To Sea

WHAT: A talk about offshore nuclear power plants for rapid deep decarbonization
WHO: Nick Touran, Ph.D. (nuclear engineer), sponsored by Science On Tap
WHEN: Monday, July 31, 2023, come at 6pm for if you want to buy snacks or food, talk starts at 7pm (calendar link)
WHERE: Ravenna Third Place Books, Cafe Arta (map)

While meaningful decarbonization progress has been made, the magnitude of this task cannot be overstated. Deeply decarbonized electric grids in France, Ontario, and Sweden use large fractions of nuclear power, which is accepted as green by many major scientific institutions. Unfortunately, construction schedule slippage and cost overruns have been significant in recent nuclear builds, especially in the West. 

This talk will provide a brief overview of nuclear power, and focus on the concept of delivering nuclear power plants via shipyard-based reactor gigafactories. Once built, the plants can either be delivered by sea to a land-based site, or could be operated on floating platforms several kilometers offshore.

While perhaps surprising at first, this approach was seriously considered in the US in the 1970s and is regaining consideration today. This talk will take a deep dive into the historical and technical bases of floating nuclear plants and explore the modern projects focused on ramping them up for deep decarbonization.

FB event link here

Please note the timing! Cafe Arta is open on Monday only for the SoT event. Events are from 7-8pm, but seats go quickly so arrive early. Food can be ordered starting at 5:30pm, we encourage diners order prior to 6:30pm to receive food on time. Seating is limited and is first come, first served. We hope to see you there!

Washington State Energy, Climate Change & Nuclear Solutions

Bikersons Brewhouse

Wednesday / July 12, 2023 / 7pm

Bickersons Brewhouse 1514 Leary Way NW Ballard

Join Friends of Fission Northwest for a live event at Bickersons Brewhouse in Ballard.

We will start at 6:30pm with a Science Trivia contest with prizes
Washington’s energy needs are increasing, given climate change, growth and electrification. The solution is to be sure we include nuclear power in our clean energy mix. Join Dr. James Conca to learn how we can avoid blackouts and get to net-zero carbon emissions. Bring all your questions!
Dr. James Conca is a Geo-environmental scientist, specializing in nuclear waste, and an EPA/State environmental consultant. Trustee of the Herbert M. Parker Foundation
Free and Live Streamed
Beers, soft drinks.
Children and dogs both welcome 

Friends of Fission Northwest and Town Hall Seattle present: Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023

Nuclear Energy, Climate Change, and Young Women in STEM

GET TICKETS

($5 – $20) 22 years old & under Free

Friday, May 26, 2023, 7:30PM, Doors open at 6:30PM for a Resource Fair in the Lobby

 Google  iCalendar

1119 Eighth Avenue (enter on Eighth Avenue), The Great Hall

Seattle, WA 98101

Google Maps Directions

This is an in-person event; no virtual attendance is available.

A conversation about nuclear energy, climate change, and inspiring young women to go into STEM fields.

On December 15, 2022, Grace Stanke, a senior at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, studying nuclear engineering, took home the Miss America crown along with the scholarship of the Miss America Organization. She additionally won in a talent category for her classical violin performance.

As Miss America 2023, Grace is embarking on a year of service taking her on a tour across the country and she is using her national platform to continue advocating for “Clean Energy – Cleaner Future.” She believes that America needs to convert to zero-carbon energy with a focus on nuclear power and breaking down misconceptions surrounding nuclear energy.

Through it all, her goal is to inspire the next generation of female scientists, engineers, and mathematicians.

With increasing interest in, support for, and desire to become more informed about nuclear energy and how it can help mitigate climate change, combined with the wonderful goal of inspiring young women to enter the STEM fields, the evening promises to be interesting and inspiring. Scott Montgomery, University of Washington faculty from the Jackson School of International Studies, will be the interviewer for the event, and a Q&A will complete the evening. This special event is made possible by Friends of Fission Northwest and the generosity of our donors:

About Friends of Fission Northwest

Friends of Fission Northwest is a grassroots non-profit that, for more than six years, has brought speakers to the Puget Sound region and beyond. We strive to educate the public about the importance of nuclear energy, its value in fighting climate change, and to dispel myths and misinformation about nuclear power.


Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Friends of Fission Northwest

CLEAN & GREEN: GENERATION ATOMIC TALKS NUCLEAR ENERGY

Thursday/ March 2, 2023 / 7pm

Bickersons Brewhouse 1514 Leary Way NW, Ballard in Seattle 98107

Free and Live streamed. Beers and soda available. Black Star Kebab Food Truck (5-9pm)

Are you worried about what we can do about climate change? Listen to leading members of Generation Atomic: They have done street theater in Europe at COP, organized a march from San Francisco to Sacramento, CA, to save Diablo Canyon Nuclear plant, helped people testify at legislative hearings, given workshops on nuclear education and activism, and work in the field, on the creation of advanced nuclear reactors.

Eric Meyer, founder and executive director Generation Atomic, Council Member city of Falcon Heights, MN.

Heather Hoff, nuclear reactor operator(materials engineering), co-founder Mothers for Nuclear

Nick Touran, PHD, nuclear engineer, specializes in reactor physics, engineering automation, and core design, public education website, Whatisnuclear.com

Gene Grecheck, Experienced nuclear executive with hands-on accomplishments in all facets of commercial nuclear power generation: operations, engineering, licensing, training, security and emergency planning, new plant development, and nuclear safety review.

Canon Bryan, founding shareholder and CFO of Terrestrial Energy (molten salt reactor design scheduled for deployment in the late 2020s).

Messing with Mother Nature: Climate Change and Climate Engineering

In the Stratosphere

Thursday, January 26, 2023, 7pm

Please register for this Zoom presentation here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtduGpqjwuGN2ySMGEXf_tC75VmP0eW6ws

The scale of human activity on Earth is now large enough to alter global climate. The most significant activity is the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations, particularly carbon dioxide, leading inevitably to a warmer climate. Given that human actions are leading to climate warming, one can conjecture that Earth’s climate can likewise be cooled by deliberate engineering. Of particular interest in the near term are actions that could lead to an increase in the reflection of solar radiation. Several such possible methods will be discussed using physical analogues and the results of complex global climate models. But, climate engineering research and potential deployment present ethical challenges in a number of unusual ways that must be considered as well. The intersection of climate engineering science, ethics, and governance is uncharted territory that requires careful and detailed study.

Speaker

Dr. Thomas Ackerman is Professor Emeritus of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington. He was Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Director of the Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO; now CICOES) at the UW from 2007 to 2018. From 1999 through 2006, he served as the Chief Scientist of DOE’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program and was a Battelle Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA. He was Professor of Meteorology at the Pennsylvania State University from 1988 to 1999, as well as Associate Director of the Earth System Science Center. Dr. Ackerman is the recipient of the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal and the Leo Szilard Award for Science in the Public Interest, awarded by the American Physical Society. He is a fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Geophysical Union.

Dr. Ackerman’s research interests span a wide range of climate issues from fundamental science, such as the life cycle of tropical cirrus and aerosol-cloud interactions, to applied issues, such as the impacts of nuclear war on global climate and solar climate engineering. Dr. Ackerman has published more than 180 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

November 30, 2022: CLIMATE CHANGE, WASHINGTON ENERGY AND NUCLEAR SOLUTIONS

Live at Lagunitas Brewing Company 1550 NW 49th St./Ballard

Wednesday / November 30th / 7pm (PST)

Washington’s energy needs are increasing, given climate change, growth and electrification. The solution is to be sure we include nuclear power in our clean energy mix. Join Dr. James Conca to learn how we can avoid blackouts and get to net-zero carbon emissions. Bring all your questions!

Dr. James Conca is a Geo-environmental scientist, specializing in nuclear waste, and an EPA/State environmental consultant. Trustee of the Herbert M. Parker Foundation

Free and Live Streamed (Facebook and Youtube)

Beers, soft drinks, full menu available.

Children and dogs both welcome

From Local to Global: Energy Issues and Climate Change

Nuclear Energy Brings Hope

TUESDAY – OCTOBER 25, 2022 – 7:30 PM (PDT)

TOWN HALL SEATTLE DOWNSTAIRS ROOM: The Forum

1119 8th Ave (Entrance off Seneca St.)

Seattle, Washington 98101 (Live Streaming available, see tickets below)

Extreme weather events, such as heat waves, drought, along with forest fires, glaciers melting, sea level rise and acidification tell us it is time to stop using fossil fuels. Our experienced panel will discuss local to global energy issues in the face of climate change.
We’ll include, first, the state of energy in Washington. How much energy do we need for the future? Can we avoid blackouts? Second, we’ll address international energy supplies affected by the Ukraine war and world energy needs.
And finally, the panel will delve into changing attitudes towards nuclear energy and the rationale for more nuclear energy.

Here for tickets
Tickets $5, under 22 Free
Virtual $5
Tickets $5, under 22 Free
Virtual $5

Dr. James Conca – Geo-environmental scientist, specializing in nuclear waste, and an EPA/State environmental consultant
Scott Montgomery – Geoscientist and energy policy expert on faculty at the Jackson School of International studies – UW and New York Times recognized author
Dr. Nick Touran – Nuclear physicist who has been interviewed on NPR’s Science Friday, working on next generation nuclear design for nuclear innovation company, Terra-Power
Moderated by Leila El-Wakil, MD

Nuclear Power is Clean and Inexpensive: What about the Waste? August 29, 2022

Science Update with Dr. James Conca

Dry Cask Storage

Zoom event, Monday, August 29, 2022, 7pm-9pm PDT

Please register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElfu6tpz8jG9eoYK61t7b-LPogPZWL3lQw

Nuclear power plants generate reliable and clean electricity – with the lowest lifecycle CO2 emissions of any power source. They also create waste in the form of used nuclear fuel. This is your chance to hear from a nuclear waste scientist with years of experience dealing with these issues.

  • What is nuclear waste?
  • What are its hazards?
  • How is it stored today?
  • What are the long-term plans?
  • How much waste do we make?
  • What is the composition of nuclear waste?
  • How does it compare to fossil fuel waste?

Dr. James Conca will give a lively and interesting talk. He is a scientist in the field of the earth and environmental sciences for 33 years, specializing in geologic disposal of nuclear waste, energy-related research, planetary surface processes, radiobiology and shielding for space colonies, subsurface transport and environmental clean-up of heavy metals. He is a Trustee of the Herbert M. Parker Foundation, Adjunct at WSU, an Affiliate Scientist at LANL and consult on strategic planning for the DOE, EPA/State environmental agencies, and industry including companies that own nuclear, hydro, wind farms, large solar arrays, coal and gas plants. He also consults for EPA/State environmental agencies and industry on clean-up of heavy metals from soil and water.

Seattle Friends of Fission and Citizens Climate Lobby-Snohomish are jointly putting on this event.

August 10th: Global Politics & Energy on a Warming Plant at Bickersons Brewhouse

See our next event below

Join us for a Live Event!
Cascadia Climate Action presents Climate Science on Tap

Bickersons Brewhouse 1514 NW Leary Way
in Ballard
Wednesday   August 10th  7 PM

Nick Touran, Ph.D, Nuclear Physicist at TerraPower and Scott Montgomery, M.S., Jackson School of International Studies at University of Washington.

Admission Free or Donation (to Cascadia Climate Action), Stranger Tickets

All Ages

Food Truck

Join a conversation around current developments in the Energy Transition and its geopolitical realities with a nuclear engineer and an expert on energy policy.

The geopolitics of energy plays a key and dynamic role in modern life, affecting many aspects of international decision-making. This truth has been more than highlighted by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Issues surrounding energy are critical to security relationships and are central to all considerations of climate change and its impacts.

The Energy Pie Needs A Slice Of Nuclear


Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqd-ihrTkjEtKa1sc13e78vfIxcF1QXxcQ
Washington’s energy needs are going to continue to increase given climate change ,growth and electrification, at the same time, we have to stop using fossil fuels. This presents us with a daunting challenge. The solution is to be sure we include nuclear power in our energy mix.

Join us and learn how nuclear power works, what a Green New Deal for our state would look like, and ask all the questions you may have.

Dr. James Conca will give a lively and interesting talk. He is scientist in the field of the earth and environmental sciences for 33 years, specializing in geologic disposal of nuclear waste, energy-related research, planetary surface processes, radiobiology and shielding for space colonies, subsurface transport and environmental clean-up of heavy metals. He is a Trustee of the Herbert M. Parker Foundation, Adjunct at WSU, an Affiliate Scientist at LANL and consult on strategic planning for the DOE, EPA/State environmental agencies, and industry including companies that own nuclear, hydro, wind farms, large solar arrays, coal and gas plants. He also consults for EPA/State environmental agencies and industry on clean-up of heavy metals from soil and water.