3 ms·
...how? Commercial fusion does not compete with NIF. Nobody invests in NIF expecting to make a return, the government spends money on it hoping for science. NIF
by Veedrac 3y ago
...how? Commercial fusion does not compete with NIF. Nobody invests in NIF expecting to make a return, the government spends money on it hoping for science. NIF is not to my knowledge part of government programs that aim to accelerate commercial fusion.
- throwawaymaths 3y agoThe government could drop funding of fusion that can't be commercialized and give grants to other fusion projects? Funding between government research agendas is rivalrous too.
- onlyrealcuzzo 3y agoThis isn't a zero sum game. We have enough money that we can do both. It should only be a question of whether this NIF research is useful. Surely, they are actually producing some value. There research is beneficial to fusion in general. Is it useful enough? I don't know.
- throwawaymaths 3y agoYou're kidding right? Political handouts are exactly a zero sum game. To fund something new, you must pick one of either: - decrease spending elsewhere - tax people more - borrow on credit - print money