Debate is moot.
Thorium was identified as one of two potential materials for creating nuclear energy at the very conception of the nuclear phase.
20,000 years of energy at current use exist within the known reserves, most of which is stored as a waste by-product of mining for rare earths.
It poses no threat of meltdown, it can eat up the current waste by-products of uranium energy generation, (uranium reserves only provide about 30-40 years at current usage).
Sites are much more scalable and flexible than existing nuclear energy.
Drawback, as highlighted in its initial low funding by the USG in the fifties, it's by-product cannot be used to create weapons. Despite receiving less than 10% of funding provided for uranium at it's onset, trials were successful during its decade operation, when all funding was cut.
Currently being developed in China, India, Norway, Spain, Brazil and others, including the US (solely for military use), it would greatly reduce emissions. I believe it is that 1kg of thorium could supply the energy of 135,000,000 kg of coal.
Secondary energy sources are available for most of our other needs. BP holds the patent for producing oil out of algae, reported to be at the rate of 80,000 litres per acre in production annually. This process sequesters carbon dioxide and can be localized, eliminating shipping costs and unstable markets.
Many processes exist which would greatly alleviate energy use in construction and future energy requirements of buildings. this will bring down the cost for consumers, profits for corporations and dependence. these materials are also healthier for the inhabitants, available on a local basis and are carbon sequestering.
When I asked the head of the energy department at Dalhousie about thorium, he said he had never heard of it, while lobbying the student body to support a deal which provides a multinational with billions of taxpayer's dollars in exchange for allowing the multinational to have an energy monopoly at increased rates.
Corporation and government gain power not by making you more independent and my expectation is BP will withhold green oil to profit on their existing reserves with the myth of a energy shortage, thorium energy won't be developed locally or building codes modified to allow access to the new materials. At the same time, they will make us more dependent by using our enforced large carbon footprint against us.
Those darned scientists are 95% certain of climate change and 100% ignorant of solutions.
