In Geopolitics Today - Tuesday, June 14th
China Develops Prototype for Recycling Spent Nuclear Fuel, Ethiopia Forms Committee to Negotiate with Rebels, Saudi Arabia’s Potential in Hydrogen Infrastructure
China Develops Prototype for Recycling Spent Nuclear Fuel
The Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Modern Physics recently completed a new technology that promises to recycle dangerous waste produced by a nuclear reactor. The accelerator-driven nuclear energy system (ADS) promises to efficiently solve the problems associated with nuclear fuel recycling and nuclear waste, two key issues preventing a sustainable development of nuclear power. The breakthrough could significantly bolster China’s efforts to reach energy independence and further cement its leadership in sustainable technologies.
China sees nuclear power as key to energy security. Nuclear power is more efficient than wind or solar, and does not emit greenhouse gases. China is the second largest consumer of oil in the world, and rising demand has made the country increasingly reliant on the import of energy to sustain economic development. More than 70% of all the petroleum that China consumes is imported, and these imports transit numerous maritime chokepoints. This makes the country’s economic development vulnerable to embargos and blockades as control of these chokepoints by an adversary could see China’s energy imports fall drastically. As such, Beijing is looking to nuclear as a way of achieving energy independence. If China can continue to develop ADS technology and demonstrate its efficiency, the waste from the many nuclear power plants China is planning to construct could be recycled to produce even more energy to meet growing domestic demand.
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Ethiopia Forms Committee to Negotiate with Rebels
The Ethiopian government has declared its intention to seek peace with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) through a negotiated settlement. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that preparations for the negotiation process with the TPLF will take place via a committee led by Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen. The formation of a committee marks a significant change in the Ethiopian government’s policy as Addis Ababa has previously denied the need for any accord with the TPLF.
The war between the government and its allies on the one hand and those loyal to the TPLF on the other has upset Ethiopia’s modernization goals and has kept the majority of foreign direct investment out of the country. Tigray’s leaders accuse the government in Addis Ababa of seeking to centralize power at the expense of regions with decentralized administrations. At the same time, the Ethiopian government accuses TPLF leaders of seeking to regain power through violence. While the establishment of a committee in charge of formal peace negotiations is a concrete step toward establishing a lasting ceasefire, the committee is likely to struggle to rein in violence perpetrated by armed groups across the country even if some form of deal is reached with the TPLF leadership.
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Saudi Arabia’s Potential in Hydrogen Infrastructure
Carbon-free hydrogen as a form of energy is becoming feasible investment for many looking to diversify from oil, with Saudi Arabia expected to be well positioned in the market as the demand for hydrogen fuel increases. A recent report from the Riyadh-based King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center stipulates that Saudi Arabia will enjoy an advantage in achieving high capacity in its production of renewable electricity derived from hydrogen.
Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of domestic resources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and renewable power like solar and wind, which make it an attractive fuel option for transportation and electricity generation. Saudi Arabia’s vast territory makes hydrogen production feasible, and the report identifies two regions where existing infrastructure and natural features make hydrogen production costs low. In particular, the country’s eastern region has much of the infrastructure in place to support the further development of a hydrogen industry.
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