Can Molten Salt Reactors Help Decarbonize Energy? Opportunities and Barriers

media release: The Wisconsin Energy Institute helps facilitate a seminar series focused on UW–Madison expertise in sustainable energy. The series provides students and the public with the opportunity to explore sustainable energy solutions, learn about the challenges facing sustainable energy, and interact with experts from across campus.

Feb. 23: Adrien Couet, professor of nuclear engineering and engineering pysics

Abstract

Molten salt reactors (MSRs) are attracting renewed attention as a potential next-generation nuclear technology that could complement renewables and help decarbonize both electricity and high-temperature industrial heat. In this talk, I will introduce the basic concept of salt-based reactors, how molten salts can serve as coolants, and in some designs, as the fuel carrier, enabling high-temperature, low-pressure operation with distinctive safety characteristics. Building from the historical Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) and today’s leading design directions (thermal-spectrum fluoride systems, solid-fueled fluoride high-temperature reactors, and fast-spectrum chloride systems), I will discuss what problems MSRs aim to solve (efficiency, fuel utilization, waste management, and flexibility for modern grids) and what remains challenging. A key focus will be the “materials reality” behind MSRs: corrosion, redox control, fission product chemistry, and qualification of structural materials, all of which shape feasibility, reliability, and licensing. I’ll close with a balanced view of where MSRs may fit in a sustainable energy portfolio and the major R&D milestones needed to move from promise to deployment.

This seminar is offered online via Zoom webinar, and registration is required. You can register once and receive access to all seven spring 2026 seminars using this registration link:

https://uwmadison.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PxJ_fTTzT4iCsQDmX0UgTQ

Catch up on past seminars

Miss out on attending a past seminar or want to rewatch one you were particularly interested in? You can find all of our past live-streamed seminars on the Sustainable Energy Seminar Series playlist on our YouTube channel.