FAQs
These are some of the most commonly asked questions about the project
Getting Involved
I am an engineer, scientist, or researcher and want to be involved. How can I apply?
You can register your interest by joining our mailing list, submit ideas, volunteer as a helper or technical advisor, or apply for professional roles when they are advertised after funding is in place.
Will the ideas of others be included in the development of this city and society?
Yes — through open idea submissions, conferences, workshops, and detailed feasibility studies.
Funding and Land
How will this project be funded?
Funding will come from a combination of public donations collected through the Promethean Nexus organisation and private capital raised by Vulcan Catalyst. Vulcan Catalyst will use these funds to purchase land and construct the core infrastructure needed to establish the city.
Where will the land come from?
Vulcan Catalyst will purchase and secure the land for the project.
Living in the city
How do I get to live in this city?
When construction is complete, the city will begin life as a private corporation with staffing drawn from company employees and their families. As the project grows, more businesses will be invited to relocate and recruit within the city, and new residents will be brought in to provide goods, services, and functions needed by the growing population. We suggest subscribing to our newsletter to keep abreast of the developments and be the first to know when it will be possible to apply to become a resident of the city.
Who will be allowed to live in this city and get access to its facilities?
During the early stages, the staff and their families, as residents will be able to access the city’s services, to keep population and resources in balance. If the model proves successful, the city will expand and invite more people to apply for residency and may later extend certain services to nearby regions.
Will this city be completely self-sufficient?
Not fully — the aim is partial self-sufficiency, focusing on food and critical materials.
Will this city be administered according to a new social contract?
Yes — the social contract will be developed gradually through research, public consultation, and consensus-building.
Will this city be a moneyless society?
No — but it will explore new ways to manage and use money for the benefit of the community.
Why is community considered to be the heart of this whole project?
Because the project is designed to foster a strong sense of belonging, pride, and shared purpose, with residents working together to protect and nurture the city.
Energy Systems
What will be the electrical power generation system?
A three-tiered grid:
1. Primary — Thorium Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs).
2. Secondary — Solar and wind farms with battery storage.
3. Tertiary — Rooftop solar panels on individual buildings.
Will renewable energy power generation systems be used?
Yes — as a backup and supplementary power source alongside nuclear.
Will fossil fuel technology be used?
Only during construction and in emergency or backup situations. Some diesel may be produced locally using pyrolysis of recycled tyres.
How will you install a Thorium Molten Salt Nuclear Reactor?
We plan to seek a government “Regulation Sandbox” approval that will allow the trial of advanced energy technologies. Within this framework, we will partner with industry leaders to design, build, and operate a small reactor park to supply affordable, stable electricity to the city and selected key supporters.
Given the lack of global support for thorium SMRs, how will this project succeed?
Thorium fuel cycles and molten salt reactor technology are proven, safe, and already in use in China. With both corporate and government support, we aim to bring this technology to our location for a demonstration and trial.
The LFTR (2 MW) used in Circa Whuhai, China in 2022 – now commercially selling power
Governance & ownership
How does Promethean Nexus relate to Vulcan Catalyst?
Promethean Nexus develops the vision, concepts, and research for the city, while Vulcan Catalyst is the development corporation that will raise capital, acquire land, and build the physical foundation.
Who will own and administer this city?
Initially, the city will be owned and operated by Vulcan Catalyst as a private corporation. Once established, ownership and governance will be transitioned to a democratically elected City Council.
Location and timeline
Are there any locations being currently considered as a site for the city to be constructed?
Yes — two locations in South America are under consideration: one in Peru and one in Chile.
How long will it take to build this city?
From securing funding to full completion, the timeline is estimated at 7–12 years. The first settlement phase could be operational in under 5 years.
Food & agriculture
Where will the food come from?
At first, food will be transported into the city. Over time, local food production will be established using regenerative agriculture and permaculture practices.
Will Glyphosate, petrochemical fertilisers, herbicides, and pesticides be used?
No — these will be phased out entirely.
Will permaculture and regenerative agriculture be used?
Yes — these will be core to the city’s food systems.
Waste & Sanitation
How will sewage sanitation be done in this city?
Sewage will be treated using pyrolysis, producing fuel, compost, and fertiliser as useful by-products.
Economic & Social Concepts
What is the Resource-Based Economy compared to the Resource Balanced Economy?
The Resource-Based Economy (RBE), as promoted by the Venus Project, is a concept for a moneyless, technology-driven, sustainable society.
The Resource-Balanced Economy was an evolution of the RBE developed by Simon Michaux. This evolution took the form of an addition of an energy term for each physical action in the form of the metric called “exergy”. This could then be used to estimate the thermodynamic industrial entropy of the consumption of a resource across the value chain from cradle to grave. The purpose of this was to lay the foundation to calculate biophysical characteristics in a systems thinking form where an engineering decision could be made in context of whether something should be done or not. These concepts would be embedded into a resource tracking system where the ‘right’ waste stream could be sent to the ‘right’ process plant. This is the back end of the resource consumption value chain. In context of full system efficiency, the front end of the resource consumption value chain could be holistically optimised. This will influence the choice of what resources get extracted and from where, what is manufactured and how, where the design of that product is optimised for long working life, an efficient recycling. This system will be used to design the industrial constellation and manage the material flows as they pass through the city.