What is Natura Resources?
Natura Resources, established by third-generation oilman and energy expert Doug Robison, is committed to answering the world’s increased demand for reliable energy, medical isotopes and clean water by developing commercially deployable molten salt reactors. Through sponsored research agreements, Natura has established a first-of-a-kind research alliance with Abilene Christian University, The Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin. The Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Research Alliance (NEXTRA) is on track to change how universities approach licensing research.
The Promise of NEXT Lab
When Doug Robison first became acquainted with the molten salt research led by Dr. Rusty Towell (’90), he made a $3.2 million donation to NEXT Lab through his nonprofit Excelsior Foundation. Later, he formed Natura Resources LLC and committed to investing an additional $30.5 million in the project, with $21.5 million of that going to ACU and the remainder going to three other universities in a research consortium led by ACU and dubbed NEXTRA (NEXT Research Alliance).
Commercial Applications
Reliable Energy: Molten salt reactors can produce the lowest levelized cost of electricity in the U.S. by operating at high temperatures and low pressure.
Medical Isotopes: Molten salt reactors can provide the world’s demand for the most commonly used medical radioisotope (Mo-99) and many other medically useful isotopes.
Clean Water: Molten salt reactors produce high temperature heat to be utilized for water desalination, district heating, oil refining, hydrogen production and more.
Public and Private Universities
Natura Resources LLC has sponsored research agreements with four universities to form the Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Research Alliance (NEXTRA), a revolutionary partnership between public and private universities and private industry.