Reply To: Focus fusion and transportation

[belbear]

Besides governmental regulation, there may also be a strong influence from existing power and oil companies (a powerful multi-trillion $$ business)
In developed countries such as the US and Western Europe, especially the oil lobbies are very strong and will oppose focus fusion. And their CEO’s are NOT democratically elected!

Fast-growing countries such as China and India on the other hand, have no such inhibitions. If their government finds focus fusion useful, they will simply use it to the maximum possible extent.

At present, These countries have to import most of their fossil fuels (except coal) and thus have no other choice than to generate ever more electricity using new polluting coal plants or landcape-devastating hydropower.
I’ve been in China this year and I noticed that petrol there is extremely expensive compared to the average Chinese income. It’s more or less the European fuel price. As a result the Chinese are using much more electric vehicles than we do. In places like Beijing and Shanghai, electric scooters are the rule, not the exception.

All these rapidly industrializing countries will welcome focus fusion with open arms, and not only because it makes dirty coal plants obsolete.
Focus fusion will also diminish the need for a new, more powerful electricity grid (through decentralizing the fusion plants) and reduce the need for fossil fuel import because using electric vehicles and appliances will become even cheaper and ships can use focus fusion directly.

Chinese may well be the first to mass-produce focus fusion reactors. After all, if they can copy an iPhone, they can copy a fusion reactor.

A bad scenario:

While there may be el-cheapo made in China “fusion-in-a-box” units already shipping worldwide, our own lobby-driven regulations may prohibit us from buying them. Except for the military, of course. THEY will use focus fusion to upgrade their nuclear subs and carriers. (and dieselelectric vessels too)

A good scenario:

Multiple, competing companies selling “fusion-in-a-box” units with a mandatory maintenance contract to anyone who wishes to invest in them.
Every so-often a qualified technician comes by, opens the hermetically sealed unit, checks everything out, replaces worn parts such as electrodes, and replenishes the fuel supply. In addition, a small bottle of recuperated helium may also be replaced with an empty bottle.

“Unauthorized opening of this reactor core is a federal crime and will be legally proscecuted.” 🙂

I don’t think DIY “Mr.Fusion” kits will become a likely option in the near future.