Perhaps the most important thing to remember about NIF and ITER is that they are primarily for research. The cheap generation of electricity is a peripheral objective, or smokescreen, if you prefer. These projects are designed to sop up as much government research money for as long as possible. In my line of work this is known as “milking the cow”.
Few people have noticed that DPF devices have already achieved nuclear fusion, in one case nine years ago. The primary goal of the Lawrenceville project is the construction of a machine which will generate abundant cheap electricity, and although many obstacles remain to be overcome, progress has been steady.
ITER and NIF will generate a lot of static, but whoever shows up first with results will get the prize.
