What will the next generation of nuclear power plants look like?  Well on one side are those who believe the current large- scale design is working just fine, and any new plants should be modeled after it.  But according to an article by Jeremy Shane on Tech Central Station, there’s growing support for a new type of reactor known as the pebble bed that could help satisfy the world’s energy appetite.  With particular interest in the pebble bed is China, which believes that since the design is modular and quicker to build, it would be less costly up front, and could be deployed in stages to meet growing demand.  Technological challenges remain over issues like producing thousands of identical fuel spheres, but the pebble bed continues to spark enthusiasm around the globe.