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NIF uses inefficient lasers because they were cheap to build at the time and because NIF is a science experiment. Lasers have gotten better. And lasers aren't t
by gene-h 3y ago
NIF uses inefficient lasers because they were cheap to build at the time and because NIF is a science experiment. Lasers have gotten better. And lasers aren't the only way ICF fusion could be carried out, it may be possible to use ion beams instead[0].
It does not matter if fusion reactions last microseconds if they generate more energy. Using optimistic, but not unrealistic assumptions, it appears feasible for electricity costs to reach $25 per MWh[1] with ICF. With the most important factors driving cost being achieving high gain and yield per shot
[0]https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/650904/ https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/650904/
[1]https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2020.0053 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2020.005...
- megaman821 3y agoThose numbers don't seem feasible. Near as I can tell, a steam generator with a magical source of never-ending heat would cost $15/MWh. There is no way a high-tech facility and the personnel required to run it are costing $10/MWh.
- notfish 3y agoWhat’s your math on $15/MWh? As far as I can tell, the steam turbine is a pretty insignificant part of the price of coal energy generation
- wolfram74 3y ago$15/MWh is 1.5 ¢/KWh, right? that's pretty darn cheap and means that the other 10~20 cents would be transmission and fuel, yes?
- repiret 3y ago20 cents? I pay 13/kWh.
- Turskarama 3y agoYou're within the stated range, do you think you have the most expensive electricity in the world? 25c/kwh isn't unreasonable. Ireland pays 52c/kwh. https://www.statista.com/statistics/263492/electricity-prices-in-selected-countries/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/263492/electricity-price...
- tuatoru 3y agoAre you allowing for cooling towers, water treatment, pipework, and so on? Also the grid connection hardware, spare turbines, cooling pumps, etc., and O&M costs?
- deepnotderp 3y agoThere are three routes to bypass this issue: 1. Move to supercritical Co2 turbines (lower mass —> lower cost), need RnD on corrosion resistant alloys 2. Move to thermoelectric or photovoltaic generators 3. Use aneutronic fusion Directly use the charged particles
- tuatoru 3y ago1. would have been done already if there were such alloys. 2. photovoltaic generators seem popular, but the don't require spending money on a fusion core. 3. The problem is hard, so let's replace it with a harder one?
- nimish 3y agoNIF exists to research nuclear weapons without breaking the treaties. Their fusion energy research is a nice corollary but it is absolutely not their focus.