Nuclear fusion-breakthrough

[night cycler]

The breakthrough with nuclear fusion is potentially great news for future generations. I do wonder who will be keeping the prices artificially high when it becomes available. Especially when we are told that N fusion will be almost limitless. The waste is safer than the current method- nuclear fission.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63957085

 

[winjim]

I wouldn't get carried away just yet...

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I wouldn't get carried away just yet...

Definitely, they've been trying to make this work for years.

 

[a.twiddler]

The amount of energy produced is still far exceeded by the amount of energy needed to make it happen, it's not just the lasers, it's the energy needed to keep the hydrogen at a low enough temperature for it to work. The principle is marvellous but it has something akin to the search for a perpetual motion machine at present. It does look as if progress is being made, but it's going to be a while yet before it becomes viable.

 

[colly]

Thirty years ago nuclear fusion was thirty years away. It's still thirty years away. In 30 years it will be thirty years away.

A bit like climate change catastrophe.

 

[MichaelW2]

Electricity too cheap to meter; I've already got my budgie smugglers on.

 

[Time Waster]

It's one of those things that you read about as a good thing when they work out out. Then file under "I will not see it happen" category until the next time it hits the newspapers or TV news I reckon!

 

[Dirk]

I remember when we were told that nuclear power stations would produce energy that was so cheap, they'd be giving it away free.

 

[Tenkaykev]

I remember when we were told that nuclear power stations would produce energy that was so cheap, they'd be giving it away free.

Yes, it was a publicity drive to promise “ jam tomorrow “ as the reactors were needed to provide the fuel for our own Nuclear Weapons back in the 50’s. Other cleaner nuclear technologies are available but don’t generate the Uranium for bombs.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I remember when we were told that nuclear power stations would produce energy that was so cheap, they'd be giving it away free.

Well it is free, or are you getting scammed by some middle man?

 

[geocycle]

I’m fairly sure EoN will be charging more for fusion powered electricity, it will be sold as a quicker way to boil the kettle.

 

[DCBassman]

don’t generate the Plutonium for bombs.

FTFY
Prime example: the old Dounreay fast breeder reactor.

 

[PK99]

In 1976 I spent a summer working on the Laser Fusion project at AWRE Aldermaston. Commercial fusion was thought to be 30 years away. It has got no closer since. This laboratory-scale experiment may be proof of concept but is a long long way from proving industrial-scale viability.

Walter Marshall, then head of CEGB and great Nuclear Power advocate said : "fusion is an idea with infinite possibility and zero chance of success"

I can't find the quote but he also said, of fusion, something like ...that Scientists would eventually achieve Plasma containment, would eventually trigger Fusion, and would eventually get more energy out of the system than they put in, but would never get out more money than put in to achieve these things.

 

[PK99]

Yes, it was a publicity drive to promise “ jam tomorrow “ as the reactors were needed to provide the fuel for our own Nuclear Weapons back in the 50’s. Other cleaner nuclear technologies are available but don’t generate the Uranium for bombs.

The Calder Hall Magnox reactors were hailed as the first Commercial Nuclear Reactors - they were only Commercial (ie profitable) by dint of the notional value put on the plutonium they also produced. Electricity produced by them when they came on stream was uneconomic.

 

[PK99]

I remember when we were told that nuclear power stations would produce energy that was so cheap, they'd be giving it away free.

Undoubtedly that was said by a politician, not an Engineer!