Reply To: Proliferation?

[jamesr]

I agree with Tulse. NIF is a military project. If they do succeed in getting ignition there is growing pressure from within the laser fusion community that, at that point, the civilian research should be split off and run separately. Only then will the competitiveness of LIFE be able to be compared on a level playing field with MCF or ICCs.

I suspect as an energy source laser initiated fusion will only be viable for the foreseeable future as part of a fission-fusion hybrid design. So with that roadmap for them in mind the ICC community such as Focus Fusion need to plan their campaign accordingly. Emphasising the obvious advantages.

Also given there will be a substantial new build of fission plants around the world over the next 20 years. It should not be an either/or with regard to funding DPF vs hybrid designs, since they have real potential in transmuting waste, even if their electricity output will be more expensive per kWh.