One promising form of clean energy that hasn't attracted much media attention is produced by what's called small modular reactors (SMRs), which generate enough nuclear power to run an industrial plant or cover the energy needs of a small rural community.
At a fraction of the size of a conventional nuclear power reactor weighing between 200 and 500 tonnes and with a capacity of up to 300 megawatts their modules can be manufactured in a factory and later transported to the site for final assembly and installation, leading to increased efficiency and improved return on investment.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, these fission reactors can be installed in rural locations that aren't suitable for larger nuclear plants, which aligns with Canada's Energy Transition Plan and Alberta's Strategic Plan for the Deployment of SMRs in remote communities. In some cases, says the commission, they have passive safety systems that can "eliminate or significantly lower the potential for unsafe releases of radioactivity to the environment and the public in case of an accident."
