Reply To: Fusion Oil

[JimmyT]

HermannH wrote:

Proposing to install more than 10 times the current capacity every year makes us look a bit out of touch

The global economy would have to increase tremendously to consume that energy. In 10 years you would need 10 times as many cars, houses, appliances, factories and batteries to consume all that electricity, and probably more people as well.

One might say this is a good thing. But guess what, all these cars, houses, appliances, factories and batteries need raw materials for building them, they need land, they cause pollution.

Today one of the most limited resources is energy, in the form of oil in particular. Some people are convinced that global oil production will peak during the next decade and will drop significantly thereafter. There is more coal, but even that is limited and the consequences for global warming might make it impossible to use that coal.

Having unlimited, cheap and clean energy will usher in a global economic boom. But eventually other resources will be the limiting factor and bring that boom to an end. And then we may be in a situation where the entire world population is accustomed to a lifestyle that is entirely unsustainable. Just like today we have a situation where the populations in the industrialized nations have a consumption pattern that is not sustainable.

So I am all for replacing all current energy production with FF energy. I am also for significantly increasing the energy consumption and wealth of third world countries. But we should not fall into the trap of thinking that FF will solve all problems and, once we have it, everlasting prosperity is ensured.

I think Focus Fusion is a bit more than that. Focus Fusion may allow us greater access to space, for example. In ways that a sudden discovery of ten times our current oil resources would not.
Yes, it’s an additional resource, but a very sharp new tool as well. Recoverable resources may be increased forever. And not just until a new bottle neck is encountered.
It may allow vastly more efficient recycling too, if you don’t like the inference that space resources will solve all our problems.