Nuclear Energy Research - NRG. Nuclear for Life. (2024)

• Safe carbon-neutral energy
• Radioactive waste
• The future: Safe nuclear power stations, thorium reactors and radioactive waste
• Radiation protection: for employees in nuclear power stations, labs and hospitals

Climate change demands immediate action: emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2 must be reduced. We are saying goodbye to coal, oil and gas, and embracing new low-carbon technologies. Nuclear energy is an excellent example of such a technology. Along with other sustainable sources of energy, nuclear power supplies carbon-neutral energy for society’s needs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If you want to know more about today’s safe carbon-neutral nuclear energy, you have come to the right place. Our experts are available to answer political and policy questions about safe nuclear energy and how make our energy provision climate neutral.

Whenever you make or do something, you always create waste. This also happens when you make electricity with nuclear energy. Or if you use special radiopharmaceutical drugs to make someone better. Did you know that sand and gas extraction also produce radioactive waste?

The largest amounts of radioactive waste produced in this country do not come from nuclear power stations. It comes from hospitals, research laboratories and the processing industry. This waste must be treated and stored securely so that it does not enter the environment.

Research is not standing still. New technologies will create new kinds of radioactive waste. These new problems will require new solutions. That means that our knowledge, expertise and international research in this area continue to be important.

Safe nuclear power installations, thorium reactors and small modular reactors: nuclear energy is becoming more sustainable. Nuclear installations are becoming smaller, more cost efficient and produce less waste. In a few decades, we will be able to build them: technological wonders where even nuclear waste can be transformed into carbon-neutral energy.

Our research into nuclear energy and nuclear technology helps answer policy and research questions about this country’s carbon-neutral energy provision – now and in the future. We are also learning how to find new ways to store radioactive waste safely in our country. The scientific research that we carry out for the Dutch government is therefore essential and indispensable.

Radiation protection

Every moment of the day your body is exposed to radiation. Only the amount of radiation is so low that you do not notice it. Due to the use of radioactivity in hospitals and energy installations, these ratios are sometimes different. To measure radiation more accurately, NRG is contributing to research into new dosimeters, which measure how much radiation an individual is being exposed to. These personal detectors protect doctors and other professionals against high doses of radiation.

Our country has several nuclear reactors and laboratories that process radioactive substances. We also have hospitals with radioactive instruments and procedures. Safety is a top priority.

NRG can help you with questions about new insights, changes to legislation, legal limits and exposure to radiation.