Helium 3, Renewable Energy, Helium 3 Energy Source

In the global race to find suitable and sustainable energy sources the focus has
shifted to seeking out renewable energy sources on our planet. One of the more
promising possibilities is the use of Helium 3 to create good, clean energy for
use by consumers across the globe. Helium 3 is a light, non-radioactive isotope
of Helium 3 gas that is rarely found on earth. Scientists are racing to find samples
suitable to be used in nuclear fusion research. Many researchers believe that
nuclear fusion is the future of power generation and they are always searching
for better, safer ways to provide nuclear power.

You might ask how an isotope that is rare could possibly be considered a renewable
energy source. This would be a very fair question. Helium 3 is produced as a
waste product of tritium. Tritium is a hydrogen isotope that is often used in
self phosphorescent nightlights and watch faces. Tritium has a 12 year half life,
and when it decays, it leaves behind Helium 3. Currently, the largest source of
Helium 3 has come from the dismantling of cold war era nuclear weapons. Since
there is a fairly small supply of Helium 3 naturally occurring on earth, it is
not usually mined or farmed but instead is manufactured.

As renewable energy sources go, Helium 3 is fairly costly, due to its current
rarity. Tritium is also a rare isotope, though we have a reliable means of
creating it. With enough tritium, we can have a substantial enough amount
of Helium 3 to begin the nuclear power process that is the goal of many
research projects today. There is however another source for Helium 3 that
is being explored. It is believed that the Moon may be an abundant source
for Helium 3. Some of the most recent Moon missions have focused on
retrieving samples and information about the presence of this isotope
on our Moon.

Helium 3 could be a very valuable renewable energy source. It produces no
radioactive waste and it is believed that as little as 100 tons could power
the entire planet for a year. If this is true, and the Moon truly is as
rich in Helium 3 as is believed, it could be the answer to our current power
crisis. It is because of this great value that Helium 3 is estimated to be
worth about $4 million dollars per kilo. Compare that to the price of gold,
just $30000 per kilo and you can see that it is very valuable indeed.

RENEWABLE ENERGY - HELIUM 3 ADVANTAGES