Nuclear energy has acquired a poor image over the years. As a result, the development of a promising technology that could help further the decarbonization of the planet has been slowed.

Major nuclear reactor incidents at Three Mile Island in the United States, Chernobyl in Ukraine, and, most recently, Fukushima in Japan have demonstrated how serious problems can be at such sites. Some older nuclear plants were decommissioned and closed, and nuclear now accounts for only 10% of the world’s energy production, according to the World Nuclear Association.