Be Bold : An Alternative Plan for Fusion Research
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Government sponsored magnetic fusion energy research in the USA has been on downward trajectory since the early 1990’s. The present path is unsustainable. Indeed, our research community and national research facilities are withering from old-age and lack of investment. The present product (tokamak-centric production of electricity) does not yet work, will not be economic, and is clearly not valued or needed by our society. Even if a prototype existed at any cost, DT-based fusion energy would come too late to significantly impact the reduction of CO2 emissions in this century. This white paper outlines what “being bold” could mean with respect to the invention and application of nuclear fusion technologies, and how the USA could once again set a visionary example for the world. I present the discussion in two parts, reflecting on the NAS panel two-part assignment of a plan “with” and “without” ITER.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC). Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) (SC-24)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- OSTI ID:
- 1364564
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-17-24821
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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