Thermo Droplets: SMRs and MMRs to Fuel the Nuclear Renaissance.

taliware™
9 min readSep 7, 2024

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By Tarik Tali taliware™

As blockchain networks — key to mining our next digital currency, AI, and electric vehicles (EVs) — transform the world, the demand for reliable, sustainable energy is skyrocketing. Enter Westinghouse and General Atomics, and Nuscale three industry leaders revolutionizing nuclear energy through Modular Nuclear Reactors (MMRs) and Small Nuclear Reactors (SMRs). These game-changing solutions are poised to redefine how we power the future, offering unmatched efficiency, scalability, and a clean energy source for the most energy-hungry industries.

SMR/MMR: A Powerhouse for the Next Tech Boom

Picture this: a rapidly growing digital landscape where the energy demands of AI, EV fleets, and blockchain mining are met seamlessly by one cutting-edge power source. Both Westinghouse and General Atomics are spearheading this vision. Their compact, modular designs allow MMRs to scale with industry demands, making them ideal for high-growth sectors like AI and decentralized blockchain networks.

Capable of generating hundreds of megawatts of electricity, each MMR from Westinghouse or General Atomics can power large-scale AI data centers, thousands of EVs, or blockchain operations — all while cutting down on the massive carbon footprint typical of traditional power sources. Additionally, MMRs make use of advanced cooling technologies, including thermo droplets — a system that enhances thermal efficiency by improving heat transfer, reducing fuel consumption, and further minimizing environmental impact.

The Surge in Energy Demand

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global electricity demand is expected to increase by 30% by 2040. AI’s energy consumption alone could surge 300% over the next decade as machine learning and deep learning become ubiquitous across industries. The computing power required for AI model training and inference in large data centers is already massive — sometimes on par with the power needs of small cities.

NVIDIA A100 Tensor Core GPU

To highlight this demand, consider an NVIDIA A100 Tensor Core GPU, a popular chip for AI workloads, which consumes about 400 watts (W) of power. The newer NVIDIA H100, designed for even heavier AI tasks, can consume up to 700 watts per chip. In data centers, where thousands of these GPUs run in parallel, power requirements easily scale into the megawatts. For instance, a cluster of 1,000 NVIDIA A100 chips would require around 400 kilowatts (kW) of power, not including cooling and other infrastructure needs. With the growth of AI applications, meeting these power demands with traditional energy sources becomes increasingly unsustainable.

At recent Oracle’s financial analyst meeting, Larry Ellison shared an anecdote about a recent dinner he and Elon Musk had with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at Nobu in Palo Alto. Despite being two of the wealthiest individuals in the world, Ellison and Musk found themselves in an unusual position: asking Huang for something that even their immense resources couldn’t easily secure — more GPUs.

Larry Ellison, Oracle

The two tech moguls were seeking additional graphics processing units (GPUs) to power their AI-driven ventures, underscoring the fierce competition for these essential components in the tech industry. Ellison also mentioned that Oracle had supplied GPUs to Musk’s startup xAI to train its AI model, Grok. He further predicted that the demand for building and training AI models would surpass $100 billion in the next five years. To meet this demand, Oracle is developing a cutting-edge data center powered by three nuclear reactors, which will be supplied by NuScale Power and TerraPower, and equipped with a supercomputer that will utilize up to 131,072 Nvidia Blackwell GPUs.

The electrification of transport is accelerating too. The global EV fleet is projected to surpass 245 million vehicles by 2030, compared to just 11 million in 2020. If the entire U.S. vehicle fleet were electrified today, it would require 1,500 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually, nearly 40% of current U.S. electricity consumption.

Bitcoin Mining and Energy Demand

Blockchain technology, particularly Bitcoin mining, is another significant driver of power demand. Mining Bitcoin is incredibly energy-intensive due to the computational power required to solve complex cryptographic puzzles, known as proof-of-work.

Bitcoin Mining

On average, it takes 1,200 to 1,500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity to mine a single Bitcoin. For perspective, this is about as much power as an average U.S. household consumes in roughly 50 days. Given that global Bitcoin mining consumes over 140 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually, sustainable energy solutions like MMRs from Westinghouse and General Atomics are critical for reducing the environmental impact of blockchain technology.

Hypothetical Scenario: Widespread Crypto Wallet Adoption

Assuming a global population of 8 billion people, each using a crypto wallet that performs an average of 10 transactions per day, the overall computational load would be immense.

Crypto Wallets adopted by the masses in digital conusmer appplications according to taliware

To estimate the power requirements, we can consider a simplified scenario:

Blockchain: Ethereum (known for its high energy consumption). Transaction Volume: 80 billion transactions per day.
Hardware: Assuming a mix of high-end GPUs and ASICs

Based on these assumptions, a rough estimate suggests that the global blockchain network would require terawatt-scale power consumption. This is comparable to the power consumption of entire countries.

Nuclear at Sea: Russia’s Floating MMR Near Finland and Sweden

Nuclear energy is not only advancing on land but also at sea. Russia has deployed a floating nuclear power plant, Akademik Lomonosov, equipped with small modular reactors to provide energy to remote areas.

Floating SMR, the Russian Akademik Lomonosov

This floating SMR is stationed near the Arctic but recently caught attention while operating near the waters of Finland and Sweden. The plant, capable of producing 70 MW of electricity, powers remote coastal communities and industrial operations, showcasing the flexibility and mobility of MMR technology.

This Russian floating MMR underscores how modular nuclear reactors are expanding beyond traditional applications, providing clean energy to isolated regions where traditional power grids are not viable. While the Akademik Lomonosov has raised geopolitical and environmental concerns, particularly due to its proximity to the EU, it also highlights the global potential for MMRs to meet energy needs in innovative ways — whether on land or sea.

Clean, Reliable Power for Critical Tech

In an always-on digital world, downtime is costly. Whether it’s AI data centers, EV infrastructure, or blockchain networks, these operations need a steady, uninterrupted power supply. MMRs offer consistent, 24/7 energy output, thanks to advanced safety features and redundant systems that minimize the risk of outages. The integration of thermo droplets technology ensures that heat management within the reactor is optimized, contributing to higher reliability and reduced operational costs.

The stakes are high: a 2016 study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that power outages cost the U.S. economy $150 billion annually, hitting tech industries and data centers hardest. With MMRs in place, power interruptions could be minimized, ensuring that servers, EV chargers, and blockchain miners keep running smoothly.

SMR’s, MMR’s Impact: Powering What’s Next

What makes MMRs from Westinghouse and General Atomics so transformative? Here’s the breakdown: Compact Size and Flexibility: The smallest MMR designs are incredibly compact compared to traditional nuclear reactors. Some of the smallest MMRs under development, like the NuScale Power Module, are designed to generate 50 to 60 megawatts (MW) of electricity, and their physical size is relatively small:
Height: Around 20 meters (66 feet); Diameter: About 3 meters (10 feet)

Small modular reactor SMR by NuScale

These reactors are designed to be transported by truck or rail, allowing for flexible deployment in remote or off-grid locations. Their small size makes them ideal for decentralized power generation, and they can be clustered together in a modular fashion to meet growing energy demands. For comparison, one of these small reactors could power a small city or industrial operation with a fraction of the space and infrastructure required by conventional nuclear power plants.

Powering EVs: An MMR could power 25,000 electric vehicles, each driving around 12,000 miles per year, drastically cutting down on fossil fuel emissions.

Supporting Data Centers: MMRs can keep multiple large data centers online, essential as the global data center industry approaches 20% of the world’s electricity usage by 2030.

Enabling Blockchain Mining: MMRs could sustainably support the expanding blockchain economy by offering a stable, eco-friendly alternative to coal or gas. With approximately 1,200 to 1,500 kWh required to mine a single Bitcoin, MMRs can provide the clean energy necessary to power this growing industry responsibly.

Powering Cities: Beyond tech, an MMR could power a city with around 100,000 residents, delivering clean energy to homes, businesses, and local infrastructure.

Challenges and the Path Forward

MMRs aren’t without hurdles. Nuclear energy still faces significant regulatory barriers, and concerns around safety persist, largely due to legacy issues. Gaining public trust will require transparency and demonstrating the advanced safety features of MMRs, such as passive cooling systems and thermo droplets technology that operate without human intervention, significantly reducing the risk of accidents.

Cost is another consideration. An MMR can range from $1 billion to $2 billion to build, but over its 60-year lifespan, the reduced operational costs, lower environmental impact, and energy security make it a compelling investment. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is actively investing in MMR technology, working alongside Westinghouse and General Atomics to bring this innovation to market.

Westinghouse is focusing on creating modular reactors that can scale to meet increasing power demands, making them highly adaptable for growing industries like AI and blockchain.

General Atomics is pushing the envelope with advanced high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, designed to operate at extreme temperatures with enhanced safety and efficiency, making them a key player in the nuclear renaissance.

Powering a Sustainable Tech Future

SMRs and MMRs aren’t just another power source; it’s the energy backbone of tomorrow’s tech-driven economy. As AI, EVs, and blockchain continue to shape the future, the need for sustainable, reliable power will only grow. SMRs and MMRs are poised to fill this gap, driving innovation, reducing carbon emissions, and helping mitigate the impacts of climate change.

With the power of MMRs, we can ensure that the technology of tomorrow — whether it’s AI inference, blockchain validation, or EV infrastructure — operates responsibly and sustainably. The nuclear renaissance is here, and it’s ready to power the future of tech.

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Taliware’s new Cordoba L2™ Blockchain Utility revolutionizes digital provenance, content authentication, and photo ownership with in-camera blockchain technology. Cordoba L2 provides a streamlined on-blockchain image authentication API for OEMs to integrate into digital consumer smartphones, and digital cameras, enabling one-click image copyright and proof of ownership. Cordoba L2 makes the world’s first fully integrated NFT cameras possible. Cordoba L2 ensures authenticity and traceability, creating a more transparent and trustworthy digital ecosystem for creators, businesses, and consumers. The Biombeat™ API, its flagship product, is a secure heart-centric biometric API designed for ECG-ready smartwatches. Biombeat provides persistent identity and geolocation verification, when operating on an ESG-capable smartwatch.

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