Impressed by arguments that nuclear energy is a proven source of low-carbon power, and worried about the dependence on foreign fossil fuels caused by the decline of North Sea oil and gas, the government has been preparing the ground for a nuclear revival.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear power draws nearer as renewables retreat

So the Okinawa outrage became an opportunity for them to re-examine their dependence on a foreign power.

CNN: A Year of Redefinition

But that hasn't stopped Steorn from making some big claims over much of the past year: The invention could end global warming, wean the world economy from its dependence on oil from war-torn regions and power some of the world's poorest communities.

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