Nuclear Fusion plant to be built in France

[Matt W]

'Iter' to be built in France, Japan gets research centre as part of a 'compensation' package:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4629239.stm

Sounds interesting, especially this:

One kilogram of fusion fuel would produce the same amount of energy as 10,000,000 kg of fossil fuel.

[Samildanach]

I can't wait for the results of this experiment. Its very very exciting. If this works it will be the biggest step mankind has made in a long time.

[tman_ndsu08]

*sigh*

This simply doesn't mean diddly poo, here in the US.

Frankly, Jesus could walk down from heaven and give us the plans for a 100% efficiency power plant that uses anti-matter/matter reactions to produce tons of energy, and our energy "officials" and the big oil companies would spit in his/her face.


The overwhelming costs that are associated with the construction of one of these plants and, no doubt, the high maintence costs more or less guarantee that no power company in North America will even consider building one.

Why should they? They have their fossil fuel infrastructure in place and they'll be damned if they have to spend one red cent to build anything else.

[Samildanach]

Ummm...this is a prototype. The costs will be high to begin with but look at any kind of new cutting edge technology, its always expensive. Also if the US doesnt care about it why is it a partner in the project? Also I think that if a company did build one it would gain one hell of a lot of customers who want to 'be green' instead of as you say support the oil barons ruining the planet. That would be motivation alone for most people to switch sources and if one company has that kind of advantage then another will build one to compete and so on and so on.

[tman_ndsu08]

Quote by: Samildanach Ummm...this is a prototype. The costs will be high to begin with but look at any kind of new cutting edge technology, its always expensive. Also if the US doesnt care about it why is it a partner in the project?

I didn't say the US didn't want ot build one, I said US energy companies won't want to build one.

Also I think that if a company did build one it would gain one hell of a lot of customers who want to 'be green' instead of as you say support the oil barons ruining the planet.

I doubt that there are a enough who would support it at the much higher price. Maybe I'm wrong.

[G. Adams]

Quote by: tman_ndsu08 I didn't say the US didn't want ot build one, I said US energy companies won't want to build one. I doubt that there are a enough who would support it at the much higher price. Maybe I'm wrong.

I would. But surely the energy companies recognise the vast amounts of money to be made selling off the new products and tech's that will inevitably be developed alongside it? Or selling the expertise of it's scientists to governments? Most EU governments will want one in their country if this experiment goes well. Any company who will be able to sell to at least the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and probably a Nordic state will do very well if they have a virtual monopoly on the tech, or willingness to to proceed.

[mr.perfecto]

If this works out, what US energy companies want won't matter. It would be pretty silly to NOT outsource your energy needs to Europe if they are drastically undercutting the domestic price. The CIA will probably find a way to steal it, so I wouldn't worry too much about the Euros price gauging us.

[Pooeypants]

If this prototype is successful, all the nations ("EU", US, Japan) involved will probably start rolling it out and no doubt China would make its own "copy" considering its current energy crisis.