6 nations plus EU sign accord for nuclear fusion project

[daleo]

Officials from six nations and the European Union signed a long-awaited, $12.8-billion pact in Paris on Tuesday to build a nuclear fusion reactor aimed at developing a cheaper, cleaner and safer energy source.

French President Jacques Chirac hosted officials from the EU, the United States, India, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia in launching the project.

"This mobilization is indispensable," Chirac said at the signing in Paris.

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/11/21/nuclear-fusion.html

[Vidar]

1. I wish them well--certainly a better use of money than the war on terror.

[phusion]

2. Do we have a real, safe, long-term solution the waste issue?

I think nuclear energy may be the answer to a lot of our energy woes (especially with a fusion reactor), but I'm still concerned about waste.

[krispos42]

3. There is no waste with nuclear fusion

Hydrogen + hydrogen = helium and massive energy release.

Nuclear fission (splitting) makes all the bad stuff, when we split uranium or plutonium into other elements, some of which are unstable and emit radiation and energetic particles for a long period of time afterwards.

The first thing the GOP did was kill nuclear fusion research back in '95. If we were to replace all power plants in this country with fusion plants would enable us to have unlimited pollution-free electricity. With that, we can really expand the use of electric cars without worrying about burning more coal or natural gas to recharge them.

If we still needed liguid fuels for automotive use, we could use electric heater coils to distill ethanol or use fusion power to seperate water into hydrogen and oxygen, then burn the hydrogen in an interal-combustion engine or fuel-cell. We could easily be imported-oil-free with nuclear fusion. If I put on my :tinfoilhat: I could easily imagine that is why they killed federal funding for the research back in '95.

[daleo]

5. I have heard tritium could be a problem

Tritium is a concern, although there is controversy about how much hazard this represents.

"Of more concern is tritium, which, like other isotopes of hydrogen, is difficult to retain completely. During normal operation, some amount of tritium will be continually released. There would be no acute danger, but the cumulative effect on the world's population from a fusion economy could be a matter of concern. The 12 year half-life of tritium would at least prevent unlimited build-up and long-term contamination."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_power#Waste_management

http://fusedweb.pppl.gov/FAQ/section2-energy/part2-enviro.txt

[rdmccur]

6. Actually need isotopes

of hydrogen (deuterium, tritium). Waste is indeed negligible compared to fission.
But waste could be reduced dramatically there (fission)as well by using breeders (France is leader in world). Also hybrid (fission/fusion plants) are being considered I believe.

[krispos42]

9. Yeah, we need those neutrons!

Just trying to KISS....

LOL

[daleo]

12. In either case, it will be 30 years before they perfect this

It's always been 30 years.

[theophilus]

4. USA! USA! USA! USA!

Once again left in the dust. Thanks big oil government!

[Mudoria]

15. Umm you did read the article didin't you?

The US is part of the project....

[Odin2005]

7. Woot!!! Fusion = nearly limitless clean enegry

It will even help with Peak Oil because it will make hydgrogen fuel cells practical because we will have a lot more energy available then now. We will have a lot more energy to use but that energy will be nearly completely clean.

[qwlauren35]

8. Oh MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I was 14 years old (30 years ago), it was my dream to be a nuclear physicist/engineer to bring nuclear fusion power to the US. And a neighbor told me that this would be a politically "incorrect" career move, because the pendulum was quickly swinging against fission.

And so, I became a materials engineer instead, and after a while, I started to believe that I might never see nuclear fusion in my lifetime. Even more ironically, I was discussing this with my mother just a few weeks ago! Not even knowing that this was happening in Europe, but trying to explain how vastly different fission and fusion are, and how fusion has always been the ultimate, alternate energy source, but required that technology advances that were being blocked by our fear of fission.

I am SOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fusion, in my lifetime!

[thereismore]

10. power of the Sun, baby. nt

[lovuian]

11. No Need for Oil that would be nice

Its about freakin time

[niallmac]

13. So where do they want to build the test reactor?

[xchrom]

14. they can figure out to DO something about the future and fund it.

us? not so much.