Rather quietly, a new age of atomic energy may be approaching. Splitting atoms may not be as exciting as fusing them, or as modish as wind and solar projects. Yet old-fashioned fission is poised to make a comeback thanks to innovative new reactor designs. The world will be better for this revolution - if policymakers allow it.
As the fight against climate change gears up, new-energy progress is everywhere apparent. Variable renewables - wind and solar - are becoming more abundant as technology improves and funding flows. They're also getting cheaper: From 2009 to 2021, the unsubsidized cost of wind declined by 72 percent and that of utility-scale solar fell by 90%. Energy storage is likewise getting more affordable.
