HUGE breaktrough for unlimited supply of energy

[zookeeper]

Over the longterm, this past week will be remembered as one of the biggest scientific moments of our age. This is truly HUGE.


"It may be the most ambitious scientific venture ever: a global collaboration to create an unlimited supply of clean, cheap energy. And this week it took a crucial step forward."

One giant leap for mankind: £13bn Iter project makes breakthrough in quest for nuclear fusion, a solution to climate change and an age of clean, unlimited energy - The Independent

This puts fusion into perspective: nuclear-fusion-rocket-could-reach-mars-in-30-days

[kbsooner]

Wow, a design project that goes 80 years from conception to reality. Thanks for posting...

[zookeeper]

Wow, a design project that goes 80 years from conception to reality. Thanks for posting...

Yes, that's right. You have to give Ronald Reagan credit here as it was a big deal when the U.S. accepted the USSR's offer to cooperate in a project on the feasibility of nuclear fusion and was the birth of the ITER Project. To think in a mere 35-40 years we could very well be looking at commercial nuclear fusion plants up and operating. It would be one of the greatest achievements in the history of science. The go ahead to begin construction on the skin, or the blanket as they call it, is the single biggest moment to date for a future with nuclear fusion on our planet.

[MadMonk]

So, should we start investing in deuterium and tritium futures?

This is pretty cool, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

[zookeeper]

This is a great BIG THINK video with Michio Kaku on how ITER will get us to fusion.

[zookeeper]

Here's a view from the future looking back, a fun video with a good explanation.





An ITER fact sheet.

[Snowman]

Over the longterm, this past week will be remembered as one of the biggest scientific moments of our age. This is truly HUGE.

I think the week they have the demonstration model working would be the one to remember, they have been trying variations on how to attempt fusion power production for decades.

[zookeeper]

I think the week they have the demonstration model working would be the one to remember, they have been trying variations on how to attempt fusion power production for decades.

Actually, you're right. When DEMO is up and running that will obviously be incredible. I understand the skepticism, but they knew they couldn't get the go ahead on the very expensive blanket unless the math was working out in other projects and inside ITER. For the first time, the math is there, the physics of the project is sound and the go ahead on this phase of ITER has always been seen as a point of no return.

[OKCisOK4me]

Watch out for 20 different looking Val Kilmers.

[BoulderSooner]

Watch out for 20 different looking Val Kilmers.

this is nuclear fusion not cold fusion NASA?s cold fusion tech could put a nuclear reactor in every home, car, and plane | ExtremeTech

[Bunty]

As fusion for energy gets closer to reality it will be interesting to see if Oklahoma chooses to do nothing about it for its oil and gas industry will be wiped out.

[jn1780]

As fusion for energy gets closer to reality it will be interesting to see if Oklahoma chooses to do nothing about it for its oil and gas industry will be wiped out.

Nuclear fusion is the least of Oklahoma's or Texas worries. I can think of dozens of other things that will affect Oklahoma before Nuclear Fusion even begins to enter the picture.

Plus, they haven't even built this yet. It wouldn't be the first time scientists and engineers have run into an unfixable engineering problem even though a design works on paper

[ou48A]

As fusion for energy gets closer to reality it will be interesting to see if Oklahoma chooses to do nothing about it for its oil and gas industry will be wiped out.

There are many energy problems that I hope the new GE energy research center will be working in collaboration with OU to find solutions for.

When the boom of oil and NG is over we should do everything we can to have fall back positions in place for our state’s economy. Some would be partly based on new and improved methods of production and energy use. But let’s use this current oil boom to partly fund our states efforts.

We already have one of the best energy saving manufactures in our state. ClimateMaster produces state of the art water- source and Geothermal Systems that are probably the very best in the world right now. I own one………OSU has done good research in this area…


Though research and manufacturing Oklahoma can become a world leader in high tech energy.
We can transform our state’s economy making our self’s more prosperous with sensible state investments in our university’s and with incentives for the right corporations.

[HangryHippo]

There are many energy problems that I hope the new GE energy research center will be working in collaboration with OU to find solutions for.

When the boom of oil and NG is over we should do everything we can to have fall back positions in place for our state’s economy. Some would be partly based on new and improved methods of production and energy use. But let’s use this current oil boom to partly fund our states efforts.

We already have one of the best energy saving manufactures in our state. ClimateMaster produces state of the art water- source and Geothermal Systems that are probably the very best in the world right now. I own one………OSU has done good research in this area…


Though research and manufacturing Oklahoma can become a world leader in high tech energy.
We can transform our state’s economy making our self’s more prosperous with sensible state investments in our university’s and with incentives for the right corporations.

Ah, but the devil, as always, lurks in the details. What are the right corporations? While easy to tout, this is where things have the potential to become very problematic.

[ou48A]

Ah, but the devil, as always, lurks in the details. What are the right corporations? While easy to tout, this is where things have the potential to become very problematic.

The right corporations are another post/ topic
But they are probably those who would qualify for our states quality of jobs act. Which is not very problematic at all.
The state folks seem like they know what they are doing with the incentives for corporations.

[Bunty]

There are many energy problems that I hope the new GE energy research center will be working in collaboration with OU to find solutions for.

When the boom of oil and NG is over we should do everything we can to have fall back positions in place for our state’s economy. Some would be partly based on new and improved methods of production and energy use. But let’s use this current oil boom to partly fund our states efforts.

We already have one of the best energy saving manufactures in our state. ClimateMaster produces state of the art water- source and Geothermal Systems that are probably the very best in the world right now. I own one………OSU has done good research in this area…


Though research and manufacturing Oklahoma can become a world leader in high tech energy.
We can transform our state’s economy making our self’s more prosperous with sensible state investments in our university’s and with incentives for the right corporations.

Then the Republicans should quite cutting state income taxes, so more money will be available for education into the future.

[Plutonic Panda]

then the republicans should quite cutting state income taxes, so more money will be available for education into the future.

this

[venture]

Then the Republicans should quite cutting state income taxes, so more money will be available for education into the future.

But but but...they gotta get re-elected! Who cares if they dig us into a deeper down the road when they are out of office. They already collected all the kickbacks from special interest and are well retired by then.

I think we are still a couple generations away from changing the mindset of Oil/Gas being the holy grail. I also wouldn't put it past some areas to increase investment in new energy technologies, like fusion, to help speed the process along as safely as possible. The best thing that can help for the nation's economy will be a quick departure from fossil fuels. Special interests in Oklahoma, Texas, and other oil rich areas are going to fight it as long as they can.

While I agree the translation to the automobile is going to be tough, I don't think we need to look at cold fusion as the savior there. That is where improve battery technology is going to come into play that allows for fast charge ups and the improvement of distance and performance. If we can get the travel distance range on batteries up to 500 miles, it would be huge. Couple this with the developments towards build in wireless recharging and you remove the need for a lot of gas powered vehicles. Of course the cost deployment becomes an issue, which is why the work needs to go into extend the range of battery powered vehicles first. Then utilize the wireless charging tech on interstates initially - especially in stretches between cities where there isn't much.

This would probably translate into most interstates becoming toll roads, but you are essentially just shifting the revenue stream from gasoline taxes to tolls to pay for electricity being used. So at the end of the day we are transitioned to a system of where you are paying for what you use. Of course this means that local streets and non-powered highways would need a different source of funding. Though I'm sure something could be worked out that makes sense.

[ou48A]

But but but...they gotta get re-elected! Who cares if they dig us into a deeper down the road when they are out of office. They already collected all the kickbacks from special interest and are well retired by then.

For many decades this state was dominated by democrats. Our state resedents were tired of being poor, it was time for a change so the state finally passed term limits mostly because of years of DEM corruption and lack of self-policing. Even most normal democrats were discussed by the Gean Stipes of our state.
I’m sure it’s not perfect but our states government is less corrupt now than it’s ever been in the States modern history.

[ou48A]

Then the Republicans should quite cutting state income taxes, so more money will be available for education into the future.

That’s the wrong way too look at it. We should grow our incomes so we can pay more taxes.

But to do that we would need to do things like reform workers comp, root out wasteful state spending and there is still a lot of that and provide greater incentives for high end jobs.

[Plutonic Panda]

It isn't going to happen for a LONG time, I'm willing to bet on it. They've been saying this for years and years. It will happen in 20 years though. lol

[Midtowner]

There are a lot of big industries with a strong vested interest in killing this thing in its infancy.

[ou48A]

There are a lot of big industries with a strong vested interest in killing this thing in its infancy.

Always looking for the conspiracy^
There are many trillions of dollars and billions of people in many energy poor nations around the world that are more than enough by many times to counter balance any attempt to stop this project, if its ever viable.

[Plutonic Panda]

Always looking for the conspiracy^
There are many trillions of dollars and billions of people in many energy poor nations around the world that are more than enough by many times to counter balance any attempt to stop this project, if its ever viable.

It was my understanding that there are a few corporations out there that are more powerful and influential some pretty big countries. I'm not going to name any right now, because, for the life of me, I can't remember the scope, but I remember seeing somewhere that if Walmart were it's own country, it would be in the top 10 largest economies in the world. I am a conspiracy theorist, I love conspiracies, however I try to be rational though.

Now I don't think Exxon Mobile or Devon has a team of mercenaries going around killing whoever threatens their profits and future, but I'm sure they have bought out senators and blackmailing is rampant. It happens all the time. I don't think these "small" nations would even really be interested in nuclear power as most seem to turn to solar and wind power, which I am against, just fyi.

[Plutonic Panda]

It's sad isn't it. You couldn't be more right though. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these corporations are responsible already for the "problems" they've had with this technology. You can obviously tell how immature humanity is when we will certainly wait until the last second to do something like Nuclear Fusion for our power needs. We put a piece of paper that is deemed valuable by a man made system before our planet that supplies us, feeds us and ultimately, made us who we are today.