T&A: Bill Gates has formed a partnership with Toshiba in a bid to research, develop and produce compact nuclear reactors called a travelling-wave reactor, this according to reports from various sources, including Forbes, FoxNews and Reuters.

With Gates funding a company called TerraPower, the firm will work with Toshiba to it provides a cheaper, safer and alternative solution to clean energy as opposed to typical fission nuclear reactors. While the news has gotten many energy experts and journalists excited, according to some sources, the process will take between 5-10 years before we’ll even be able to see a working commercialized unit. Let’s hope the prototype comes out sooner then.

Meanwhile, here’s Gates talking up clean energy for the planet during his speech at TED in February earlier this year.