Prospects for practical fusion power

Conference · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Alternative Energy Sources; (United States)

OSTI ID:7183340

Dean, S O

The prospects for practical fusion power received a substantial shot in the arm recently when the President signed into law the Magnetic Fusion Engineering Act of 1980. This new law directs the Secretary of Energy to ''initiate at the earliest practical time each activity which he deems necessary to achieve the national goal for operation of a commercial demonstration plant at the turn of the twenty-first century''. The new law is in consonance with the conclusions of two panels which reviewed the status of magnetic fusion energy research during 1980. A Fusion Advisory Panel to the House Science and Technology Committee, chaired by Dr. Robert L. Hirsch of EXXON, concluded that ''fusion can be made commercial before 2000 if a national commitment is made soon''. And, the Department of Energy's Energy Research Advisory Board (ERAB), chaired by Dr. Solomon J. Buchsbaum of Bell Laboratories, concluded that ''recent progress in plasma confinement has been impressive'' and that ''as a result of this progress, the U.S. is now ready to embark on the next step toward the goal of achieving economic fusion power: the exploration of the engineering feasibility of fusion''. The basis for optimism that fusion will become a practical energy source around the turn of the century is three-fold: (1) dramatic scientific progress has occurred on a broad front during the past few years; (2) key fusion technologies have been developed for several large fusion facilities now under construction; and (3) a growing cadre of engineers have been identifying the engineering development tasks required for practical systems.

• Research Organization: Fusion Power Associates Gaithersburg, Maryland
• OSTI ID: 7183340
• Report Number(s): CONF-801210-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Alternative Energy Sources; (United States) Journal Volume: 5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700200* -- Fusion Energy-- Fusion Power Plant Technology
CONFINEMENT
DEMONSTRATION PLANTS
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FUSION YIELD
NUCLEAR ENERGY
NUCLEAR REACTION YIELD
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
POWER GENERATION
SYNTHESIS
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
YIELDS