2024.02.01 | search column
(Short report) Search on patent application trends for “high-temperature gas furnaces”
If we are to achieve carbon neutrality, we cannot avoid nuclear power generation, which does not emit as much carbon dioxide as thermal power generation and has a stable supply capacity. However, following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011, it has become difficult to increase the number of large light water reactors.
Under these circumstances, in July 2022, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry began considering creating a roadmap for the development of next-generation nuclear power plants such as high-temperature gas reactors (HTGRs), which are said to have a high level of safety. news was seen※ 1. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has announced that it will mass produce hydrogen using a high-temperature gas reactor (HTGR) in April 2022.※ 2In July 2023, it was selected as a core company for the development of a high-temperature gas reactor demonstration reactor promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.※ 3, positive trends can be seen. As described above, high-temperature gas furnaces are currently attracting attention.
In addition, in the UK, the government is providing approximately 250 billion yen in subsidies for the development of next-generation nuclear reactors, including high-temperature gas reactors; in the US, a startup company, X-energy, has developed a high-temperature gas reactor, which the government fully supports; However, high-temperature gas reactors are attracting attention around the world, with a demonstration reactor reaching criticality for the first time in 2021.※ 4.
Therefore, we investigated trends in patent applications related to high-temperature gas furnaces.