I bet you saved billions in research budget
When you overfly ITER’s construction site in Cadarache (near Vinon, France), you understand why even mentioning advancements of z-pinch or LM’s new compact concept is “politically incorrect” in French nuclear circles. ITER is pharaonic and must continue until all budget is spent…
Yeah we were also told that building a viable liquid cooled aero engine that can run full power to TBO and not only the first 150 hours for certification is impossible….
Just wait till the next reactor type comes along and people complain ad nauseam on account they can’t overhaul it in their shed with a wrench and pliers.
When you overfly ITER’s construction site in Cadarache (near Vinon, France), you understand why even mentioning advancements of z-pinch or LM’s new compact concept is “politically incorrect” in French nuclear circles. ITER is pharaonic and must continue until all budget is spent…
(or until all the designers are retired 
)
The energy crisis that is going to hit us is serious, and I worry for the next generation, including my children. The transition to renewables is happening, but not fast enough IMHO. A lot of money and political support go to initiatives like shale gas/oil which is a waste in many respects. So tell me, what’s wrong trying to find the ultimate solution which is Nuclear Fusion to work? Serious persistance seems needed, and lots of money too. But look what mankind has been able to achieve over the past century! And only a fraction of the money that goverments are spending on saving banks and saving broken European economies is needed. A pity that US bailed out years ago. Their money (1% of what is spent on the military there?) and brains would have helped. I wish ITER a lot of success and hope they can continue to do their work below the radar screen and not be tampered with by foolish politicians.
OK, bring it on…
The US is involved in ITER, building some of the hardware, and also operates one of the world’s most active fusion research programs which underpins the technology. At current finding levels it is still not going to be much more than welfare for the over educated. To get the job done would take a US financial effort equivalent of the effort spent liberating Europe over 50 years … and in due course maybe that will happen. The US otherwise is looking towards being energy independent in perhaps 20 (real) years, which lowers the motivation to spend tax money on fusion.
Ciao
Aart, I agree that we need to get rid of regenerating fuels (a.k.a. fossil fuels) and that we do need to proceed in developing fusion power useage. However, we can’t wait for it to happen. The engineers are able to pull it off by sole use of natural fusion (i.e. the sun), or incoming radiation energy. However, politicians and some parts of society ain’t.
“The US otherwise is looking towards being energy independent in perhaps 20 years, which lowers the motivation to spend tax money on fusion.”
Yes because unlike foreign oil, American oil never runs out :-)
Actually, nobody will ever run out of oil – the price will someday increase to the point where other options look more attractive for an increasing fraction of transportation applications, and there will be oil left for those who really need it. Aircraft will be the last to change. In the US its going to be a very long process, hundreds of years I’d guess because North American fossil fuel production is rising and looking good for quite a while. Those working in energy related research will adapt or starve, the former is better
How profitable is that rising fossil fuel production at 80 $/bbl?
