A Technology Roadmap for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems

The technology roadmap defines and plans the necessary research and development (R&D) to support the next generation of innovative nuclear energy systems known as Generation IV. The roadmap has been an international effort of ten countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency.

Beginning in 2001, over 100 experts from these countries and international organizations began work on defining the goals for new systems, identifying many promising concepts, and evaluating them, and defining the R&D needed for the most promising systems. By the end of 2002, the work resulted in a description of the six most promising systems and their associated R&D needs. The six systems feature increased safety, improved economics for electricity production and new products such as hydrogen for transportation applications, reduced nuclear wastes for disposal, and increased proliferation resistance.

Technology roadmap in full (pdf, 4.4 mb)

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