Fusion Anyone

Filed in archive Edge Technology , Nuclear on April 14, 2006

Are we there yet? Or more exactly, is fusion power feasible yet? Well we know how to make a fusion reaction occur, the problem is that temperatures reaching into the millions of degrees either C or F must be generated to make this reaction occur.

The shield materials alone to construct a core that would be able to withstand the temperature of a fusion reaction and be able to adequately contain radiation would weigh about 100 ktons and cost nearly 2 billion dollars. The overall construction of a fusion plant would be estimated near 15 billion dollars.

Taking into account construction and investment return costs, the cost of commercial fusion power to the customer would be 36 cents higher per kw-hr than our present rate kw-hr for electricity. This puts commercial fusion power out of customer price range so it follows that this doesn't make an attractive investment opportunity for companies or individuals.

The science/assumptions underlying this post: Is Fusion in Our Future?

What ever happened to cold fusion?