Safe site and onboard storage would also be a must if hydrogen is to play a role in transportation. It's perfectly capable of doing it again, and climate warming would offer an excellent opportunity if carbon taxes or other regulatory actions constrain the fossil fuels. It's equally important to recognize the potential magnitude of the world's fissionable resources, uranium and thorium, if fully exploited. Gas cooled reactors have demonstrated promise using both helium and CO2. Clearly we need a better answer to breeding options than our experience thus far with sodium has provided.
Alternatives exist that merit our attention.
Ironically, nuclear's potential to respond to new opportunities today is impaired by the military use earlier of nuclear energy to end the war. Failure to fully appreciate the consequences of ignoring the hazards of radioactive waste impairs our ability to meet reasonable environmental expectations today. Industry's record has been remarkably good over these many years. Only the Three Mile Island accident has blemished the record and that did not result in a loss of life. Plant operators have performed to exceptionally high levels of excellence in the US, Europe and Japan.