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Probably because it's not a solved problem that simply needs money to scale up? If you think about it, you can't simply give money to JS developers to do fusio
by mrtksn 4y ago
Probably because it's not a solved problem that simply needs money to scale up?
If you think about it, you can't simply give money to JS developers to do fusion research instead of making HTML buttons for internal use.
Those who can work in the field already do but so far there's nothing to show in terms of practical solutions. They even receive fair bit of criticism for misrepresenting the outcomes of their work to get more funding. Every now and then a startup or something will come up to claim that they thought of something novel that will solve all of the problems and how the people who work in expensive government funded programs are amateurs with no creativity, then disappear in the valley of vaporware dreams.
Humanity is deeply invested in it, it's just that it's really hard.
Oh, BTW, We already have a reliable and extremely powerful nuclear fusion reactor in the sky. We can actually pour enormous amount of our resources into harnessing it and succeed but it is considered a divisive topic.
- ncmncm 4y ago"a divisive topic" On HN, anyway. The wider world is all in on solar, except where it might compete with oil extraction subsidy.
- breadloaf 4y agoBut it is not available in the night and energy storage is still unsolved mystery. It is like planning a project and ignoring half of issues which will make or break your project.
- mrtksn 4y agoThe storage is not an unsolved mystery at all, we have many methods to store energy. Maybe it's not perfected yet and not optimal and cost effective as we would like it to be yet but it's nowhere near the situation with fusion technology. Unlike the fusion, the science of it is well developed and it boils down to its commercialisation optimisation. Besides, as we are creatures who sleep roughly in sync with the fusion in the sky, we don't really need to have 24/7 constant energy input. Combination of storage and older tech like good old fission energy and natural gas can be enough.
- breadloaf 4y agoStorage is unsolved mystery because it does not work at scale. Try to take any method you like and push it to supply 1GW for 18 hours of winter night. Also there is lot of things going on at night - people are heating their homes or charging their BEVs.
- mrtksn 4y agoIt's an engineering and financial challenge, it's not mystery or anything lime that. The science behind it is well understood.