Climate Moonshot PDF files

Climate Moonshot: BAK-UP

The Climate Moonshot Portfolio is an open-source reference architecture for a large climate R&D program. It currently contains eight ~$1 billion R&D initiatives covering low-cost nuclear fission, economic fusion, global climate modeling (GCM), stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), and marine cloud brightening (MCB). These proposals are not intended to be adopted unchanged. They are starting points for scientists, engineers, governments, research institutions, and funders to review, modify, replace, combine, or expand. The objective is to ask a larger question:

If we spent billions on additional climate R&D, what should we develop?

Eight $1B R&D Proposals

All proposals below are freely available under an open-source license.

LOW-COST ENERGY

Nuclear Power Site-Construction Automation - Develop machines and construction systems intended to reduce the cost and schedule of standardized nuclear plants. PDF | DOCX

Nuclear-Powered Industrial Processing - Develop standardized systems for coupling inexpensive nuclear heat/electricity to hydrogen, ammonia and other industrial processes. PDF | DOCX

Economic Fusion - Focus fusion R&D on the engineering developments most likely to produce electricity competitive with fossil generation. PDF | DOCX

CLIMATE UNDERSTANDING

Global Climate Models - Improve the observations, experiments and models needed to quantify climate risk and evaluate interventions. PDF | DOCX

SUNLIGHT-REFLECTION RESEARCH

SAI Experimental Research - Test atmospheric processes and measure the effects and uncertainties of small, controlled research experiments. PDF | DOCX

SAI Equipment Development - Develop and test equipment required for atmospheric research and potential future large-scale systems. PDF | DOCX

MCB Experimental Research - Determine whether and under what conditions marine cloud brightening could reliably increase cloud reflectivity. PDF | DOCX

MCB Equipment Development - Develop and demonstrate seawater aerosol-generation, ship, automation and monitoring. PDF | DOCX

Nuclear Fission Power

$1B Proposal: Automate Nuclear Power Site Construction

Develop machines and construction systems intended to reduce the cost and schedule of standardized nuclear plants. PDF | DOCX

$1B Proposal: Co-locate Chemical Processing with Nuclear Power

Develop standardized systems for coupling inexpensive nuclear heat/electricity to chemical-making processes. PDF | DOCX

Economic Fusion

$1B Proposal: Economic Fusion Moonshot

Focus fusion R&D on the engineering developments most likely to produce electricity competitive with fossil generation. PDF | DOCX

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection

SAI Reflectivity Plan (7 pages)

Describes a staged path from research and small-scale experiments through equipment development and, only if warranted, potential future large-scale SAI operations. PDF | DOCX

$1B Proposal: SAI Experimental Research

Test atmospheric processes and measure the effects and uncertainties of small, controlled research experiments. PDF | DOCX

$1B Proposal: SAI Equipment Development

Develop and test equipment required for atmospheric research and potential future large-scale systems. PDF | DOCX

Marine Cloud Brightening

MCB Reflectivity Plan (7 pages)

Describes a staged path from research and small-scale experiments through equipment development and, only if warranted, potential future large-scale MCB operations. PDF | DOCX

$1B Proposal: MCB Experimental Research

Determine whether and under what conditions marine cloud brightening could reliably increase cloud reflectivity. PDF | DOCX

$1B Proposal: MCB Equipment Development

Develop & demonstrate seawater aerosol-generation, ship, automation and monitoring systems. PDF | DOCX