Scientists are creating a "star" on Earth

I noticed this in the news and found it quite interesting, especially the part where they have the goal of igniting it by 2012, woo hoo will this be the "mayan event" will fry us all🙂

Could Fusion be the answer to the energy problems in the world, and what could be the side effects?

A bit of info taken from the link at bottom.

At the National Ignition Facility in Livermore California, scientists are aiming to build the world's first sustainable fusion reactor by 'creating a miniature star on Earth'. Following a series of key experiments over the last few weeks, the £2.2 billion project has inched a little closer to its goal of igniting a workable fusion reaction by 2012.

Looks like a mini version of the death star🙂

News link 1

An earlier CNN article.

About damn time.

The true barriers to rational use of clean, sustenaible, renewable energy are political and economic not technological. Cold fusion isn't solve shit. Placing faith in technological progress as the answer to our environmental and social problems is dellusional.

As long as there's money to be made on 'conventional' energy generation fusion power will never be a reality for the majority of the world.

I can see it becoming important in hypothetical outer space colonization and exploration however where there are bigger concerns than making a buck.

so what exactly is this? it will make its own power?

Originally posted by 753
The true barriers to rational use of clean, sustenaible, renewable energy are political and economic not technological. Cold fusion isn't solve shit. Placing faith in technological progress as the answer to our environmental and social problems is dellusional.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
As long as there's money to be made on 'conventional' energy generation fusion power will never be a reality for the majority of the world.

Quoted for truth.

It'll be just like Chain Reaction with Keanu Reeves. 😎

Originally posted by Omega Vision
As long as there's money to be made on 'conventional' energy generation fusion power will never be a reality for the majority of the world.

I can see it becoming important in hypothetical outer space colonization and exploration however where there are bigger concerns than making a buck.

There are absurd amounts of money to be made with fusion power . . .

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
There are absurd amounts of money to be made with fusion power . . .

Originally posted by Omega Vision
Vs fossil fuels though?

Yes, absolutely.

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Yes, absolutely.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
Interesting. How do you make money off of what is often advertised as 'cheap' energy?

The same way you make money with "expensive" energy, by charging people money to use the electricity you produce. The way to take the lead is by charging people less than than other companies, since your energy is cheap you still make the same amount of profit.

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
The same way you make money with "expensive" energy, by charging people money to use the electricity you produce. The way to take the lead is by charging people less than than other companies, since your energy is cheap you still make the same amount of profit.

Charging for idealized fusion power is a bit like charging for air or water if you live in an area with a rich watershed.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
My impression though is that fusion is seen as an answer to having to pay for energy.

Then you don't understand anything about physics or economics. Power plants don't magically maintain themselves and even fusion requires raw materials to keep running.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
Charging for idealized fusion power is a bit like charging for air or water if you live in an area with a rich watershed.

Sure but "idealized fusion power" is a myth invented by idiots and shysters that has been bought into by people who are either naieve or so blindly anti-capitalist that they'll believe anything.

And that's a terrible metaphor. Fusion doesn't appear naturally on Earth, if it did there wouldn't people people racing to develop it.

I think the idea is that cold fusion would be so cheap that the government or some random non-profit group could easily maintain the plants and charge people close to nothing thus ending the private sector's humongous profits.

Originally posted by 753
I think the idea is that cold fusion would be so cheap that the government or some random non-profit group could easily maintain the plants and charge people close to nothing thus ending the private sector's humongous profits.

And I'll admit that if we invent "idealized fusion", "cold fusion" or some other kind of magic then that could happen.

Originally posted by 753
I think the idea is that cold fusion would be so cheap that the government or random some non-profit group could easily maintain the plants and charge people close to nothing thus ending the private sector's humongous profits.

the cheaper the costs of production and upkeep, the higher the profits one can charge on it though.

I accept if it was a state run thing, they could charge the exact same as costs, but if we are talking about a company competeing against conventional power suppliers, they would only have to reduce costs proportionate to oil or whatever else is on the market.

sure, over time competition is going to drive this down, but even as we see with oil, the price consumers pay is not based only on the costs of production (gasoline, at least as of a couple of years ago, was something like 15cents inflated per gallon [or whatever] compared to just the costs associated with getting it to the pump)

Originally posted by inimalist
the cheaper the costs of production and upkeep, the higher the profits one can charge on it though.

I accept if it was a state run thing, they could charge the exact same as costs, but if we are talking about a company competeing against conventional power suppliers, they would only have to reduce costs proportionate to oil or whatever else is on the market.

sure, over time competition is going to drive this down, but even as we see with oil, the price consumers pay is not based only on the costs of production (gasoline, at least as of a couple of years ago, was something like 15cents inflated per gallon [or whatever] compared to just the costs associated with getting it to the pump)

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
And I'll admit that if we invent "idealized fusion", "cold fusion" or some other kind of magic then that could happen.

Originally posted by 753
how expensive would you say any real cold fusion would be? just the costs of producing and distributing it compared to the use of oil or hidreletrics.

Real cold fusion?

Well I'd say it would cost as much per MWh as it does to get a ticket to Hogwarts.