Clean tech startup Fluxnium found a way to tap 50,000 years’ worth of nuclear fuel
Fluxnium's fibers can extract uranium directly from seawater, which has enough of the nuclear fuel to power thousands of generations.
The U.S. aims to triple its nuclear power plant capacity by 2050, but fuel prices pose a challenge. Yellowcake prices have surged 75% in five years, and the U.S. lacks domestic uranium resources. However, the ocean holds over 4 billion metric tons, enough for 50,000 years. Fluxnium, a clean tech startup, has developed technology to extract uranium from seawater, potentially addressing the fuel shortage.
CEO Jeff Green, a serial founder, has created a solution using specially designed polymer fibers that attract dissolved uranium. The fibers, licensed from the Department of Energy, have increased surface area for uranium extraction, reducing costs. Fluxnium's fibers are deployed in buoys in the ocean, where they extract uranium over 30 to 60 days before being brought back to shore for purification into yellowcake.
The startup recently secured $7 million in seed funding and is well-timed for the resurgence of the U.S. nuclear industry.
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