The fusion power thread

[The New California Republic]

Why fusion?
Why not solar panels, wind mills, heat pumps
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump

Tidal power, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power
Solar mirror in space. All vehicles will be electric.

Not effective in many parts of the world, and they cannot meet our ever increasing thirst for power. And many renewables also tie up large areas that could be used for other purposes.

[Totally Not OEP]

Why fusion?
Why not solar panels, wind mills, heat pumps
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump

Tidal power, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power
Solar mirror in space. All vehicles will be electric.

Because Fusion can work at all times, provide the energy need for electric vehicles just the same, can be used to colonize space and will provide massively more energy.

[Neko-koku]

"Fusion is always 50 years away!"

(Image)

There's a reason why...

Fusion needs commercialization to work.

[Totally Not OEP]

"Fusion is always 50 years away!"

(Image)

There's a reason why...

Fusion needs commercialization to work.

Intensive government funding to achieve the initial development hurdles is needed first; private companies can't sustain the amount of investment required.

[Neko-koku]

Fusion needs commercialization to work.

Intensive government funding to achieve the initial development hurdles is needed first; private companies can't sustain the amount of investment required.

Are you saying that it takes EU, Russia or China to work?

[Totally Not OEP]

Intensive government funding to achieve the initial development hurdles is needed first; private companies can't sustain the amount of investment required.

Are you saying that it takes EU, Russia or China to work?

No, the U.S. Government could finance it alone and we really should be; it would be a strategic advantage unlike any other.

[Neko-koku]

Are you saying that it takes EU, Russia or China to work?

No, the U.S. Government could finance it alone and we really should be; it would be a strategic advantage unlike any other.

Good. Can aid to the Third World and Detroit & Baltimore be cut and the money be used for this purpose instead?

If we have to have some statism let it be American, not continental for the latter is much worse.

[Thepeopl]

Why fusion?
Why not solar panels, wind mills, heat pumps
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump

Tidal power, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power
Solar mirror in space. All vehicles will be electric.

Not effective in many parts of the world, and they cannot meet our ever increasing thirst for power. And many renewables also tie up large areas that could be used for other purposes.

All sunny parts of rooftops can be harnessed by solar panels. They also work on overcast days.
Solar mirror in space would always function, till the sun runs out.

Heat pumps work better in cool environments and don't need much space, you do need to drill tho.

And why wait for a futuristic, might be possible energy source when you can use these environmental friendly methods already?

[The Chuck]

"Fusion is always 50 years away!"

(Image)

There's a reason why...

Damn, beat me to the joke

As someone who is friends with a couple nuclear engineers at my university, it's well known that sustainable fusion energy is "Only 50 years away!"

They said it in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, and now the 2010s. It's only 50 years away...

[Vivolkha]

Not effective in many parts of the world, and they cannot meet our ever increasing thirst for power. And many renewables also tie up large areas that could be used for other purposes.

All sunny parts of rooftops can be harnessed by solar panels. They also work on overcast days.
Solar mirror in space would always function, till the sun runs out.

Heat pumps work better in cool environments and don't need much space, you do need to drill tho.

And why wait for a futuristic, might be possible energy source when you can use these environmental friendly methods already?

For one, it is possible. Also, it has already been said that nuclear fusion generates way, way more energy than solar panels ever will, which helps because the world population's energy demand is perpetually increasing.

[Kowani]

No, the U.S. Government could finance it alone and we really should be; it would be a strategic advantage unlike any other.

Good. Can aid to the Third World and Detroit & Baltimore be cut and the money be used for this purpose instead?

If we have to have some statism let it be American, not continental for the latter is much worse.

Right after we do the same for the South. Wait, that’s not how countries work.

Your daily reminder that foreign aid dropped Honduras’ murder rate by 30%. Considering that foreign aid makes up 1% of the budget, there are better things to cut.

[Neko-koku]

All sunny parts of rooftops can be harnessed by solar panels. They also work on overcast days.
Solar mirror in space would always function, till the sun runs out.

Heat pumps work better in cool environments and don't need much space, you do need to drill tho.

And why wait for a futuristic, might be possible energy source when you can use these environmental friendly methods already?

For one, it is possible. Also, it has already been said that nuclear fusion generates way, way more energy than solar panels ever will, which helps because the world population's energy demand is perpetually increasing.

If we exclude Africa there is no perpetually increasing population or demand..

[Vivolkha]

For one, it is possible. Also, it has already been said that nuclear fusion generates way, way more energy than solar panels ever will, which helps because the world population's energy demand is perpetually increasing.

If we exclude Africa there is no perpetually increasing population or demand..

Include Asia as well. Else, population? Maybe not. Energy demand? Sure as hell yes, as life standards steadily increase around the world.

[Scomagia]

Fusion would be a great boon. Even now, Fission is one of the smartest energy production methods but people are very stupid and so we're stuck using far inferior nethods because "blarrg, radiation!"

[Vivolkha]

Fusion would be a great boon. Even now, Fission is one of the smartest energy production methods but people are very stupid and so we're stuck using far inferior nethods because "blarrg, radiation!"

In my opinion the problem with fission is that it is derived from a non-renewable source (uranium). There is no such problem with fusion.

[Alvecia]

Fusion would be a great boon. Even now, Fission is one of the smartest energy production methods but people are very stupid and so we're stuck using far inferior nethods because "blarrg, radiation!"

In my opinion the problem with fission is that it is derived from a non-renewable source (uranium). There is no such problem with fusion.

It is still an excellent stepping stone.

For now fusion is no where near commercial or even industrial viability.

[Neko-koku]

In my opinion the problem with fission is that it is derived from a non-renewable source (uranium). There is no such problem with fusion.

It is still an excellent stepping stone.

For now fusion is no where near commercial or even industrial viability.

Yes. Let's use moar uranium, moar plutonium & thorium.

[Scomagia]

Fusion would be a great boon. Even now, Fission is one of the smartest energy production methods but people are very stupid and so we're stuck using far inferior nethods because "blarrg, radiation!"

In my opinion the problem with fission is that it is derived from a non-renewable source (uranium). There is no such problem with fusion.

And so what if it is? The methods we're using already use non renewable sources and are much, much worse in terms of environmental effects.

[The New California Republic]

Not effective in many parts of the world, and they cannot meet our ever increasing thirst for power. And many renewables also tie up large areas that could be used for other purposes.

All sunny parts of rooftops can be harnessed by solar panels. They also work on overcast days.
Solar mirror in space would always function, till the sun runs out.

Heat pumps work better in cool environments and don't need much space, you do need to drill tho.

And why wait for a futuristic, might be possible energy source when you can use these environmental friendly methods already?

It's an option in the short and medium term, but long term we need fusion.

[Unstoppable Empire of Doom]

It takes more energy than it produces. The reaction lasts a fraction of a fraction of a second. Barring some other incredible discovery it is pointless. This thread would be better spent discussing the fission power we already have which with small risks would solve global warming.

[Salandriagado]

Why fusion?
Why not solar panels, wind mills, heat pumps
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump

Tidal power, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power
Solar mirror in space. All vehicles will be electric.

Not effective in many parts of the world, and they cannot meet our ever increasing thirst for power. And many renewables also tie up large areas that could be used for other purposes.

There are other alternatives: space-based solar and beamed power transmission, space based solar on a space tower/launch loop/orbital ring/whatever, etc. Even more benefits for space travel than fusion, essentially no ground-area usage, provides next door to infinite energy, and doesn't require any new science.

[Salandriagado]

It takes more energy than it produces. The reaction lasts a fraction of a fraction of a second. Barring some other incredible discovery it is pointless. This thread would be better spent discussing the fission power we already have which with small risks would solve global warming.

You appear to have missed the giant fuckoff fusion reactor that already provides 1% of all electricity generation globally.

[Saiwania]

"Fusion is always 50 years away!" There's a reason why...

I don't quite buy the notion that nuclear fusion will magically work if only more money is thrown at it. It will be just as difficult then as it is now.

A fusion reactor has supposedly been used for up to 200 seconds before, but the reaction couldn't be sustained and stopped. Logistically, we have few to no materials that can withstand the intense heat of a star and it takes lots of energy to try to get it started. We haven't managed to get a reaction to be self sustaining yet.

[Alvecia]

"Fusion is always 50 years away!" There's a reason why...

I don't quite buy the notion that nuclear fusion will magically work if only more money is thrown at it. It will be just as difficult then as it is now.

That's why we throw money at it. For R&D.

[Cappuccina]

I agree that fusion research should be given more focus, and would be truly revolutionary if fusion were finally achieved, but I don't understand the fetishization of space colonization.