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Why do you think finishing the fusion research (just another 10 years? again?), and then designing commercial reactors, and then building out all the fusion gen

Why do you think finishing the fusion research (just another 10 years? again?), and then designing commercial reactors, and then building out all the fusion generation capacity we need, could possibly take less time/money/effort than just building out all the wind/solar/battery capacity instead, which we already know how to make?

m463 3y ago
I think it's a good strategy to have alternate energy sources. We use energy in so many ways, we should also generate it in many ways too. We should develop a portfolio of energy sources. Yes, the top ways might be solar, wind, batteries. But what if we need energy at night during cold weather without wind? We will continue to burn giant oil tankers full of fossil fuels. Looking back, the outlook for Solar PV in president carter era seemed just about as unsatisfying as fusion is now. I also think fission should get some predictable sustained research funding, and political will to make it a part of the picture, but safe and modern.
- defrost 3y ago
  Things to ponder if you're having these conversations. > a portfolio of energy sources. Yes, the top ways might be solar, wind, batteries. Batteries are energy storage, not a source. Other storage methods are worth finding out about. > what if we need energy at night during cold weather without wind? We will continue to burn giant oil tankers full of fossil fuels. We already burn vast amounts of fossil fuels (how much per day globally | by various countries? it's worth a look). The key thing here is how much less would be used if a country is only "topping up" energy storage and delivery during renewable down times? What are the differences between a coal fired power station that drives a turbine and a gas powered power station that drives a turbine (ramping up | always "on" times, etc). > I also think fission should get some predictable sustained research funding In which country though? South Korea and China are steadily building fission power reactors, the USofA has had ongoing fission research as part of being a nuclear nation since the Manhatten project, it's DoE straddles nuclear for weapons and nuclear for power, they had nuclear submarines, etc.

m463 3y ago

I think it's a good strategy to have alternate energy sources. We use energy in so many ways, we should also generate it in many ways too. We should develop a portfolio of energy sources. Yes, the top ways might be solar, wind, batteries. But what if we need energy at night during cold weather without wind? We will continue to burn giant oil tankers full of fossil fuels. Looking back, the outlook for Solar PV in president carter era seemed just about as unsatisfying as fusion is now. I also think fission should get some predictable sustained research funding, and political will to make it a part of the picture, but safe and modern.

defrost 3y ago
Things to ponder if you're having these conversations. > a portfolio of energy sources. Yes, the top ways might be solar, wind, batteries. Batteries are energy storage, not a source. Other storage methods are worth finding out about. > what if we need energy at night during cold weather without wind? We will continue to burn giant oil tankers full of fossil fuels. We already burn vast amounts of fossil fuels (how much per day globally | by various countries? it's worth a look). The key thing here is how much less would be used if a country is only "topping up" energy storage and delivery during renewable down times? What are the differences between a coal fired power station that drives a turbine and a gas powered power station that drives a turbine (ramping up | always "on" times, etc). > I also think fission should get some predictable sustained research funding In which country though? South Korea and China are steadily building fission power reactors, the USofA has had ongoing fission research as part of being a nuclear nation since the Manhatten project, it's DoE straddles nuclear for weapons and nuclear for power, they had nuclear submarines, etc.