4 ms·

He is correct however. There's no possibility of replacing all power with renewables energy within 10 years, so having a 5 year time scale for a working prototy

He is correct however. There's no possibility of replacing all power with renewables energy within 10 years, so having a 5 year time scale for a working prototype is completely reasonable. We're not even going to have all cars converted to electric vehicles within 20 years even in countries with the most strict rules, let alone all power generation and fossil fuel use for other applications. (Even if fossil fuel sales were forbidden tomorrow, it would still take 20 years for the existing vehicles to be taken out of the used market.)

willis936 5y ago
Climate predictions end in 2070, but the world does not. "We're fucked" isn't a reason to throw our hands up and not try. Fusion is "too late" the same way every other decarbonization tool is too late. It doesn't matter. Do it anyway. In 200 years the people who threw up their hands will be seen as short-sighted.
- ncmncm 5y ago
  People who wasted fortunes on dead ends will be seen in a rather worse light. We already know what we need to stave off climate catastrophe: solar and wind, with storage and hydrogen synthesis, might be enough. Each cent pissed away on useless frivolity incrementally reduces our chance of success.
  - willis936 5y ago
    Nothing about fusion energy research indicates that it is a pointless frivolity. Things that fall in that category are adtech or fintech or middle management.
    - ncmncm 5y ago
      Good analogy. Fusion is like middle management: ultimately useless, but insistent on its own importance.
      - willis936 5y ago
        Not quite. Middle management's goal is to waste resources. If you think the same of fusion energy research then you should come back down to Earth. If you grant that then you should also go the distance and grant that fundamental plasma physics research is useful to humanity.
        ncmncm 5y ago
        Fundamental plasma physics research is a boon. It might be worth all the spurious fusion work to get the plasma research, and continuous employment for the population of plasma physicists.

willis936 5y ago

Climate predictions end in 2070, but the world does not. "We're fucked" isn't a reason to throw our hands up and not try. Fusion is "too late" the same way every other decarbonization tool is too late. It doesn't matter. Do it anyway. In 200 years the people who threw up their hands will be seen as short-sighted.

ncmncm 5y ago
People who wasted fortunes on dead ends will be seen in a rather worse light. We already know what we need to stave off climate catastrophe: solar and wind, with storage and hydrogen synthesis, might be enough. Each cent pissed away on useless frivolity incrementally reduces our chance of success.
- willis936 5y ago
  Nothing about fusion energy research indicates that it is a pointless frivolity. Things that fall in that category are adtech or fintech or middle management.
  - ncmncm 5y ago
    Good analogy. Fusion is like middle management: ultimately useless, but insistent on its own importance.
    - willis936 5y ago
      Not quite. Middle management's goal is to waste resources. If you think the same of fusion energy research then you should come back down to Earth. If you grant that then you should also go the distance and grant that fundamental plasma physics research is useful to humanity.
      - ncmncm 5y ago
        Fundamental plasma physics research is a boon. It might be worth all the spurious fusion work to get the plasma research, and continuous employment for the population of plasma physicists.