One question regarding fusion, whether focus fusion or other alternative fusion technologies, is which country will develop this technology first.  My guess is that China will be the first country to research and develop fusion technology, perhaps ith the help of Japan. It has the most to gain and the least to loose by doing so. In my opinion the vested interests in the USA (oil and gas, nuclear power, big utilities, automobile companies, etc.) are too powerful to allow a real alternative to fossils fuels to develop here. Can anyone prove me wrong?

My research on the subject seems to say that most fusion projects out there have a 20-50 year research-to-commercial reactor plan. This project hopes to have a 6-10 year plan, maybe less if it can get better funding. Most will agree that there is a need for something with a faster roadmap, but most money is going into tokamaks.

As far as China goes, they are members of the ITER tokamak project, which is a 50-year plan. I am unsure of other projects being funded by, or worked on, by the Chinese, so, maybe there is a chance that they can beat it.

Glenn Millam - 16 September 2006 09:25 AM

My research on the subject seems to say that most fusion projects out there have a 20-50 year research-to-commercial reactor plan. This project hopes to have a 6-10 year plan, maybe less if it can get better funding. Most will agree that there is a need for something with a faster roadmap, but most money is going into tokamaks.

Great!  You’ve done some research.  Any way you could find the time to post a list of the projects, a line of description, a website link, estimated time to net energy and to commercial reactor?  (And others, feel free to chip in w/ your favorites)

Like:

1.  Focus Fusion, hydrogen/boron fuel in a dense plasma focus, http://focusfusion.org/ 2-3 y,ears (if funding), 7-10 years.
2.  Tri-Alpha…etc.

It’s important to organize this information as we make the case for fusion technology prizes and lobby our representatives in office.  A simple, handy consolidated list.  The contenders.