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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Nuclear fussion and anti-nuclear technology
« on: 11/11/2022 12:31:23 »
SPARC is currently under construction and may generate more energy than it consumes after 2035 (no other machine has sustained fusion yet). They have plans for a commercial 1GW unit thereafter, assuming SPARC actually works. There is no other current project with a clear route to commercialisation of fusion power.
Current UK demand for electricity is 40 GW but if we eliminate ICE transport and convert all industry to electricity we need about 5 kW per capita to maintain our standard of living. So 300 new reactors of a type that so far has never been demonstrated to work. Worldwide, 40,000 new reactors, each of which will eventually require the replacement and disposal of various bits of radioactive material.
This is a good time to gamble on fusion, but buy the shares as a fun gift for for your grandchildren, not as a reliable investment for your own pension.
The "global energy crisis" has two elements: too many people with legitimate aspirations to a western lifestyle, and the only viable primary energy sources being owned by the sort of people you wouldn't want to share a planet with, never mind a taxi. Both elements are under our control
Note that I only put "sapiens" in inverted commas. The genus homo was remarkably successful until it anointed itself with that grandiose adjective and invented hatred and self-loathing.
Current UK demand for electricity is 40 GW but if we eliminate ICE transport and convert all industry to electricity we need about 5 kW per capita to maintain our standard of living. So 300 new reactors of a type that so far has never been demonstrated to work. Worldwide, 40,000 new reactors, each of which will eventually require the replacement and disposal of various bits of radioactive material.
This is a good time to gamble on fusion, but buy the shares as a fun gift for for your grandchildren, not as a reliable investment for your own pension.
The "global energy crisis" has two elements: too many people with legitimate aspirations to a western lifestyle, and the only viable primary energy sources being owned by the sort of people you wouldn't want to share a planet with, never mind a taxi. Both elements are under our control
Note that I only put "sapiens" in inverted commas. The genus homo was remarkably successful until it anointed itself with that grandiose adjective and invented hatred and self-loathing.
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