The Focus Fusion Society › Forums › The International ITER project › Cost cutting debate
Doesn’t sound like they have their design finalized yet, but the blank check era’s on its way out.
unfortunately, this means the public is convinced that fusion is too hard
Blank check era is still here, it just goes for things like war (x00Bil) and executive bonuses ($144Bil this year).
I believe they “SAVED” money on the HUBBLE telescope by not testing the mirror compleatly.
Long before the project is half done, I think and hope FF generators will be spreading across the planet like wildfire. Even though ITER is not purpose-designed to generate power, the loss of relevance of that 50-yr pie-in-the-sky “promise” will undercut and then eliminate financial support for it. It will end up as an aborted white elephant like the Super-Conducting Super-Collider. Saving lotsa billions and leaving France with a very interesting cleanup problem.
Brian H wrote: Long before the project is half done, I think and hope FF generators will be spreading across the planet like wildfire. Even though ITER is not purpose-designed to generate power, the loss of relevance of that 50-yr pie-in-the-sky “promise” will undercut and then eliminate financial support for it. It will end up as an aborted white elephant like the Super-Conducting Super-Collider. Saving lotsa billions and leaving France with a very interesting cleanup problem.
How so? Just stock it with FFs, Polywells, etc etc and keep on building but with an emphasis on prototyping gear. France can become the premier alt fusion research capitol of the world with just a fraction of the ITER budget… and do all that while generating more jobs than the tok would.
zapkitty wrote:
Long before the project is half done, I think and hope FF generators will be spreading across the planet like wildfire. Even though ITER is not purpose-designed to generate power, the loss of relevance of that 50-yr pie-in-the-sky “promise” will undercut and then eliminate financial support for it. It will end up as an aborted white elephant like the Super-Conducting Super-Collider. Saving lotsa billions and leaving France with a very interesting cleanup problem.
How so? Just stock it with FFs, Polywells, etc etc and keep on building but with an emphasis on prototyping gear. France can become the premier alt fusion research capitol of the world with just a fraction of the ITER budget… and do all that while generating more jobs than the tok would.
The interesting cleanup problem assumes they get as far as experimenting with D-T fuel, thus creating a lot of radioactive parts to dispose of. I wonder if the people downwind know how hard it is to contain hydrogen isotopes 100%?
Well, we’ve got at least eight years to provide an alternative to these guys.
Ivy Matt wrote: Well, we’ve got at least eight years to provide an alternative to these guys.
I’m more interested in the aneutronic fusion industry’s prospects. If the government funds a working fusion power plant in my lifetime, I’d bet on the Navy being the agent, leading with a hush-hush PolyWell program. This may or may not be sold via WikiLeaks, lol.
Our fair share of the pie is going to come when we as a people require it to happen by making aneutronic fusion R&D planning THE hot-button topic of at least one presidential election, which will automatically involve around 33 Senatorial elections. That makes aneutronic fusion headline news for up to 6 months, without much of an advertising budget.
Esuf> The Tok fuses. Neutrons fly. You feel weaker.
Esuf> A Tritium has escaped the Tok!
Esuf> The Tok fuses. Neutrons fly. You feel weaker.
Esuf> The Tritium threatens you!
> cast 30 cm of Steel at Tritium
Esuf> The Tritium migrates through the Steel.
Esuf> The Tok fuses. Neutrons fly. You feel weaker.
Esuf> Now the Steel threatens you!
Esuf> The Tritium smirks at you…
ITER superconductor magnets and other contracts cost was 4.6M euro
Where are going to do with the other 26bill euro?
Give me 100 M€ and I would build ITER (plus extra money for dismantle them because tritium management and neutron activated parts)
I likes the “floating robot” that will be used to extract parts like an overcraft spreading isotopes blowing air, like a persian magic carpet. It would be a lot easier use a wheel based robot 🙂
…. could be worse… could be a fission plant 🙂