We’ve been told that the future must be one of limits, that we’re running out of water, fuel, land, and time. But what if the real constraint isn’t physical? What if the problem is simply that energy costs too much?
Nuclear power can change that. It’s the only proven source that can deliver massive, clean, always-on energy, not just for electricity, but for industrial heat, hydrogen, and more. And if we use it to make energy dramatically more affordable, we open the door to a future defined not by scarcity, but by possibility.
In West Texas, brackish water lies just beneath the ground. There’s no shortage of it, but because it’s salty, it stays unused. The technology to make it usable already exists. But the energy it requires remains a barrier. Now imagine that the cost drops by an order of magnitude. That water becomes accessible. Agriculture returns. Entire regions are brought back to life.
This isn’t a hypothetical. It’s what happens when the price of energy no longer limits what we can do.
Energy-intensive processes are everywhere, and many still rely on fossil fuels. Take fertilizer. Producing nitrogen-based fertilizer requires immense heat and pressure, typically powered by natural gas. Swap that out for nuclear-generated energy, and we get clean, stable, domestically produced fertilizer, without emissions or geopolitical volatility. That’s not just good for farmers. It’s foundational for global food security.
The same logic applies to long-distance travel and trade. Planes and cargo ships can’t run on batteries, but they can run on synthetic fuels made using abundant, carbon-free power. With nuclear energy driving hydrogen, ammonia, and synthetic hydrocarbon production, we gain a realistic path to decarbonize aviation and shipping without giving them up.
One of the most transformative applications of nuclear energy is industrial heat. Steel, cement, and chemical manufacturing require constant, high-temperature heat, something wind and solar struggle to provide. Nuclear, especially advanced reactors, can do this cleanly and consistently. For Japan, this offers a chance to bring manufacturing back home, reduce reliance on imported fuels, and build a resilient, clean industrial base.
Yet despite all this potential, the conversation about nuclear often gets stuck on “waste.” But most of what we call nuclear waste still contains over 90% of its usable energy. That’s not a problem, it’s an opportunity. New reactors and closed fuel cycles are being developed to recover that remaining energy and reduce long-term storage needs even further.
Nuclear is also the safest form of energy per unit produced, far safer than fossil fuels, and even safer than wind and solar. And unlike other energy sectors, nuclear is required to fund its waste management upfront, with rigorous long-term plans. Fossil fuel industries, by contrast, emit pollution daily without any obligation to clean up after themselves. Coal ash, fracking brine, and toxic particulates are often left behind with no accountability when operators disappear. Nuclear secures its byproducts. Fossil fuels leave theirs in our lungs and rivers.
According to a NASA-led study published in Environmental Science & Technology, nuclear power prevented nearly 2 million deaths globally between 1971 and 2009 by reducing the air pollution that would have come from burning coal and gas. And yet, fossil fuels still pollute freely, often without accountability. Coal ash, fracking brine, and toxic particulates are routinely released into the environment. Nuclear, by contrast, contains its byproducts, plans for them, and funds their long-term management from the start. Fossil fuels disperse theirs into the air and water, and walk away.
At its heart, this isn’t just about emissions or waste. It’s about what becomes possible when energy is no longer a bottleneck. Nearly every modern constraint, from clean water to affordable housing to food production and carbon removal, is tied to the cost of energy. Lower that cost, and previously impossible solutions become practical. Carbon pulled from the air becomes a material. Farming moves into cities. Salty groundwater becomes a resource. What once seemed extravagant becomes standard.
This isn’t about excess. It’s about capacity. With low-cost, reliable power, we can solve problems at scale, not just manage decline. And when energy is abundant, population growth becomes a source of talent and innovation, not a looming crisis.
Japan stands at a pivotal moment. Once a global leader in advanced manufacturing, it now faces rising costs and offshored production. But by fully embracing nuclear, not just for electricity, but as the backbone of a modern energy strategy, Japan can lead again. With legacy projects like the HTTR high-temperature reactor and a long-standing commitment to hydrogen infrastructure, Japan is uniquely positioned to pioneer clean, industrial-scale energy systems. By investing in next-generation reactors and integrating them with hydrogen production, synthetic fuels, and industrial heat, Japan could shift from importing fossil fuels to exporting the future.
For too long, the nuclear debate has been reactive, focused on safety stats and rebutting fears. But the true case for nuclear isn’t about what it avoids. It’s about what it enables.
A world where drylands bloom with clean water. Where food is grown without fossil inputs. Where ships cross oceans without carbon. Where cities turn carbon dioxide into infrastructure. Where energy is always available, no matter the weather or the hour.
That world is possible. And nuclear energy is how we build it.
We don’t need to shrink our expectations. We need to raise them, and commit to the power that makes that future possible.
Not a future of less. A future of more.
And it starts with nuclear.