Tournament:  | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge: 

Plan

The United States Department of Energy should establish a matching funds program to develop and build a Liquid Fluoride Thorium Nuclear Reactor.

Advantage 1 – Prolif

Advantage 1 is Prolif

Nuclear renaissance is eminent – it’s the only viable electricity source worldwide

Marketwire 12 – Part of the Paragon Report on uranium ore stock future

[5/3/12, http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nuclear-renaissance-back-track-122000381.html]cs

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire -05/03/12)- Last year

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," Areva SA's Chief Commercial Officer Ruben Lazo said in a previous interview.

The spread of nuclear power facilitates weapons development, triggering wildfire prolif and nuclear war – deterrence fails in the new international system

Sokolski 9 – Henry, Executive Director – Nonproliferation Policy Education Center

[Jul, “Avoiding a Nuclear Crowd”, Policy Review, June/July, http://www.hoover.org/publications/policyreview/46390537.html]cs

Finally, several new nuclear weapons contenders are also likely to emerge in the next

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, would ever want. None of this, however, is inevitable.

Prolif transforms existing conflicts into nuclear showdowns

Cimbala 8 – Professor of Political Science at Pennsylvania State University – Brandywine

[Stephen J. Cimbala, “Anticipatory Attacks: Nuclear Crisis Stability in Future Asia,” Comparative Strategy, Volume 27, Issue 2 March 2008, pages 113 – 132Informaworld]gw

The spread of nuclear weapons in Asia presents a complicated mosaic of possibilities in this

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could overturn these expectations for the obsolescence or marginalization of major interstate warfare.

For theorists, the argument that thespread of nuclear weapons might be fully compatible with

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concepts might be inaccurate guides to the avoidance of war outside of Europe.

Escalation will happen – inadequate crisis management, multipolarity enhances the risks

Evans 9 – President of the International Crisis Group and Kawaguchi, Former Foreign Minister of Japan

[Gareth Evans (Co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament and Professorial fellow in the School of Social and Political Sciences @ University of Melbourne) and Yoriko Kawaguchi (Co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament), “Eliminating Nuclear Threats: A Practical Agenda for Global Policymakers,” International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament Report, December 15, 2009, pg. http://www.icnnd.org/ reference/reports/ent/ downloads.html]gw

3.1 Ensuring that no new states join the ranks of those already nuclear

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enhanced fears of nuclear blackmail, and of irresponsible and unpredictable leadership behaviour.

3.2 In conditions of inadequate command and control systems, absence of confidence

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, historical – and for all those reasons, strongly emotive – dimensions.

3.3 The transitional period is likely to be most dangerous of all,

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fissile material coming into possession of non-state actors cannot be ignored.

3.4 The action–reaction cycle of nations on high alerts, of

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nuclear power centres divided by multiple and cross-cutting sources of conflict.

Terrorists have the motive and capacity to build a bomb with civilian nuclear materials

Barnaby 9 – Frank, Emeritus Consultant to the Oxford Research Group

[March, http://www.ippr.org/images/media/files/publication/2011/05/nuclear_renaissance_1679.pdf]gw

There will also be a heightened risk that terrorists will acquire plutonium, fabricate a

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by terrorists to make nuclear explosives is an obvious threat to global security.

Nuke terrorism triggers global nuclear war with Russia and China

Ayson 10 – Robert, Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies: New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington

[“After a Terrorist Nuclear Attack: Envisaging Catalytic Effects,” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Volume 33, Issue 7, July, Available Online to Subscribing Institutions via InformaWorld]cn

A terrorist nuclear attack, and even the use of nuclear weapons in response by

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for the terrorists. This might not help the chances of nuclear restraint.

Thorium’s fuel cycle is self-sustaining based on U233 – all fissile material is contained within the reactor

Sorensen 12 – Kirk, Founder and Chief Technologist at Flibe Energy, Grad student in Nuclear Engineering, former Chief Nuclear Technologist at Teledyne Brown Engineering

[8/4, http://www.peakprosperity.com/podcast/79398/kirk-sorensen-detailed-exploration-thoriums-potential-energy-source]gw

Kirk Sorenson: Those are the best questions. The way thorium is used –

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neutrons to make new U233 from thorium – all U233 comes from thorium.

That substantially reduces the spread of fissile material

Sorensen 12 – Kirk, Founder and Chief Technologist at Flibe Energy, Grad student in Nuclear Engineering, former Chief Nuclear Technologist at Teledyne Brown Engineering

[July, “Response to Oliver Tickell’s Anti-Thorium Article” http://energyfromthorium.com/tickell-rebuttal-jul-2012/]gw

LFTR’s end-to-end fuel cycle offers greatly reduced proliferation risks in large

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amenable to vitrification in an inert glassy form for long-term storage.

U233 can’t be used in weapons or be removed from the reactor – LFTRs also consume old fissile material and obviate the need for uranium enrichment facilities

Hargraves 10 – Robert, teaches Energy Policy at the Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth College, PhD in physics from Brown University, and Ralph Moir, published ten papers on molten salt reactors during his career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, ScD in nuclear engineering from MIT

[American Scientist98. 5 (Sep/Oct 2010): 364-365]gw

A commercial reactor will make just enough uranium to sustain power generation. Diverting any

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can increase prosperity and can reduce the potential for wars over resource competition.

The plan revives US nuclear leadership – that’s key to strengthen international non-prolif initiatives

Miller 12 – Warren “Pete” Miller, Ph.D., Co-chair, Bipartisan Policy Center Nuclear Initiative and Former Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy

[July, http://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Leadership%20in%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Markets.pdf]gw

Strategic Goal: Continued strong U.S. leadership in global nuclear security matters

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framed commerce and security not as competing objectives but as “inextricably intertwined.”

Advantage 2 – Warming

Advantage 2 is Warming

Overwhelming scientific consensus indicates warming is accelerating and anthropogenic

Pearce 7 – Fred, environment consultant for New Scientist

[With speed and violence: why scientists fear tipping points in climate change, GoogleBooks, pp. 10-17]cn

First, the basic physics. As we have seen, much of this goes

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? Some of them can be heard making the case against climate change.

The impact is extinction

Heinberg 7 – Richard, Senior Fellow at Post Carbon Institute, recipient of the Award for Excellence and Energy Education

[Peak Everything, p. 19-22]cn

First, some problems are more critical than others. A patient may suffer simultaneously

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community involvement, intergenerational solidarity, and the other intangible goods listed earlier.

Warming turns and magnifies their impacts

Burke 8 – Sharon, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy Security Project at the Center for New American Security

[Climatic Cataclysm: The Foreign Policy and National Security Implications of Climate Change, GoogleBooks, pp. 157-161]cn

At the same time, however, the implications of both trends for human society

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, Central America, the Caribbean, South America, and Southeast Asia.

LFTRs solve – they’re cost-competitive and replace current sources of energy

Hargraves 11 – Robert, teaches Energy Policy at the Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth College, PhD in physics from Brown University, and Ralph Moir, published ten papers on molten salt reactors during his career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, ScD in nuclear engineering from MIT

[Jan, http://www.naturals.ukpc.net/TR/Hansen/liq1.pdf]gw

Burning coal for power is the largest source of atmospheric CO2 , which drives global

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, ending 10 billion tons per year of CO2 emissions from coal plants.

LFTRs substantially cut emissions and reverse warming trends

Hargraves 12 – Robert, teaches Energy Policy at the Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth College, PhD in physics from Brown University

[July, “THORIUM energy cheaper than coal”]gw

Taiwan's Taichung 4-4 GW coal power plant is the world's largest. The

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ocean C02 absorption and acidification, harmful to sea life and food supplies.

U.S. clean energy development key to global spillover

Roberts 4 – Paul, journalist, author, energy expert and writer for Harpers

[The End of Oil, pg. 325-6]cn

Politically, a new U.S. energy policy would send a powerful message

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business prospects in China that it now has its own vehicles in Beijing.”

[Competition spurs faster innovation – that’s key]

[Explicit a2 50/85]

Solvency

Government support for private initiatives is key to rapid development – matching funds programs generate massive investment in LFTRs

Martin 12 – Award-winning science and technology journalist, editorial director for Pike Research

[Richard Martin, Award-winning science and technology journalist and editorial director for Pike Research, SuperFuel: Thorium, the Green Energy Source for the Future, May 2012. (p. 232)](NSB)

WHILE A NEW MANHATTAN PROJECT is not going to happen, some form of government

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for a total of $ 4 billion to $ 10 billion a year.

A successful RandD project will spur commercialization by corporations

Hargraves 12 – Robert, teaches Energy Policy at the Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth College, PhD in physics from Brown University

[July, “THORIUM energy cheaper than coal”]gw

Governments have an opportunity to incentivize corporations to undertake LFTR research and development. Once

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emitting energy from coal and reduce demand for energy from other fossil fuels.

The use of national labs solve any tech barriers – giving businesses access to them is key to LFTR development

Hargraves 12 – Robert, teaches Energy Policy at the Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth College, PhD in physics from Brown University

[July, “THORIUM energy cheaper than coal”]gw

US National Laboratories are capable of developing LFTR. The US has many national laboratories

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step in to lead development, as is happening in China and France.

Advanced tech ensures LFTR development can be streamlined

Hargraves 12 – Robert, teaches Energy Policy at the Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth College, PhD in physics from Brown University

[July, “THORIUM energy cheaper than coal”]gw

Shorter projects cost less and have less cancellation risk. I recommend a high priority

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-based electric power plant was built at Shippingport PA in 39 months.

LFTRs are technologically feasible – the science is proven

Sorensen 12 – Kirk, Founder and Chief Technologist at Flibe Energy, Grad student in Nuclear Engineering, former Chief Nuclear Technologist at Teledyne Brown Engineering

[July, “Response to Oliver Tickell’s Anti-Thorium Article” http://energyfromthorium.com/tickell-rebuttal-jul-2012/]gw

The primary uncertainty is bureaucratic, not technical. The fundamental physics, operation,

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fluid molten-salt reactor power station” such as the modern LFTR.

Public-private partnerships are successful at developing new tech and facilitating commercialization

Yin 12 – Clifton, Clean Energy Policy Analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, Masters in Public Policy with a focus on environmental and regulatory policy from the Georgetown Public Policy Institute

[7/31, http://theenergycollective.com/cliftonyin/98391/carbon-fiber-government-clean-tech-innovation-success-story]gw

Carbon fiber composites have been employed in racecars, sporting goods, and the aerospace

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, and nuclear power in the pantheon of government technology innovation success stories.