08-27-2012, 02:24 PM
(08-24-2012, 06:14 PM)Lissa Wrote: Internet knowledge huh? I guess you don't know what my degree is in. My signature is a hint, it's Nuclear Engineering and most of my engineering electives were spent in classes involving other energy sources, both fossil (coal, oil, and gas) along with alternates (moreso alternates because our department was called the Nuclear and Energy Engineering). So, I know a lot more than just internet knowledge.
My apologies, I am happy about this.
(08-24-2012, 06:14 PM)Lissa Wrote: And as to some of your comments, yes, Fusion isn't getting the funding it should, but take 200 to 300 years, hardly. You haven't been following what's going on at Lawerence Livermore here in the US or at Princeton not to mention what's going on at JET (Joint European Torus) in Oxfordshire, UK. JET is actually the furthest along at this time and has been creating more power than they use, but it's miniscule, mostly because they can't keep the confinement going long enough. But will it take 200 years, no way, 50 years maybe and that's being conservative (more likely we'll see it in the next 30 to 40 years).
Some comments based on internet knowledge.
Fusion receives more public funding than any other energy source. Of course looking at the potential this is not strange. So I woll not make any negative comments about that rather than the fact that there is indeed a nice funding for this research.
About timeline. Some sources say that in 2050 we should have the first commercial fusion reactor working.
Looking at the time it takes to build a new fission reactor (know technology) this to me seems be an absurdly positive estimation.
Man, bringing a new shampoo to the market costs a company 3 years alone.
As is obvious we cannot use a 40 year gap (using the most positive estimates) be a basis for our future energy use. Don't forget, solar and wind power use technologies that are available now..
And what are we talking about (using the most negative estimation) paying 20 cents more to do one washing in your washing machine?
As a final note. It will of course be an obvious thing that fusion will be the major energy source once we are able to make it work. Untill that time we have no other choice but to increase the share of solar and wind power.