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I agree. There is no breakthrough on the horizon that is going to make a fusion plant have the complexity closer to a natural gas plant than a nuclear fission p
by megaman821 4y ago
I agree. There is no breakthrough on the horizon that is going to make a fusion plant have the complexity closer to a natural gas plant than a nuclear fission plant. Therefore the costs will remain high.
It could still be a useful technology, especially in space. I could see a moon or mars base powered by fusion.
- DennisP 4y agoGas has low capital cost but relatively high fuel cost, especially outside the US. For most fusion designs (possibly excluding NIF), the fuel cost is insignificant. Also of course we might want to consider the carbon emissions of gas plants.
- megaman821 4y agoThat is what I mean. Some people are imagining the capital costs of a natural gas plant with the fuel and environmental costs being almost nothing. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that a fusion plant would cost anything less than a fission plant at this point.