According to proponents, a
thorium fuel cycle offers several potential advantages over a
uranium fuel cycle—including much
greater abundance on Earth, superior physical and nuclear fuel properties, and reduced nuclear waste production. However, development of Thorium power has significant start-up costs. Proponents also cite the lack of weaponization potential as an advantage of thorium, while critics say that development of breeder reactors in general (including thorium reactors that are breeders by nature) increase proliferation concerns. Since about 2008, nuclear energy experts have become more interested in thorium to supply nuclear fuel in place of
uranium to generate
nuclear power. This renewed interest has been highlighted in a number of scientific conferences, the latest of which, ThEC13
[1] was held at
CERN by
iThEC and attracted over 200 scientists from 32 countries.