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The Energy Enigma
it has not been a necessity? Perhaps the time is
now right, given the many newly recognised
environmental imperatives, such as global
warming and ever decreasing natural resources.
While it is not yet certain that fusion’s potential
can be realised in an economically acceptable
form there is currently a very strong international
focus on the subject and there is a world wide
research programme underway aimed at bringing
fusion technology to a commercially usable state Newell
Many of you will be aware that I am an advocate of for generating electricity within the next thirty McGuiness
nuclear fission as part of our overall electricity years or so. managing director,
generation mix. But if the aspirations of an ever A lot still needs to be achieved. A self sustaining SELECT
expanding population are to be met, the world is fusion plasma (‘ignition’ as it is known) needs to
going to need an awful lot more electricity at an be demonstrated and new materials need to be
economical and environmental cost and perhaps developed to deal with ignited conditions. It also
even a vibrant nuclear industry will not be needs to be ascertained if ultra-safe large scale
enough? Is fusion power, rather than fission, the generation is possible and economically
answer? acceptable. However, present day experiments in
Fusion power, which relies on fusing hydrogen the UK’s JET facilities in Culham are investigating
nuclei at very high temperatures, has long been conditions very close to ignition and provide
touted as a secure and resource unlimited source compelling evidence that there are no obstacles to
of electricity supply and claims to have inherent the achievement of ignition in future devices. The
environmental and safety advantages over all current plans for the international research
current alternatives for base load electricity programme envisage dealing with the other issues
generation. noted above and the expectation is that a
But is the dream of a secure, long term and prototype fusion power plant can be expected by
environmentally friendly supply of electricity just 2040.
that – a dream? Scientists have after all been Perhaps the dream is not so far away? Let’s
working on large scale experimental fusion devices hope so. If fusion can not play a major role in the
since the 1940s. Perhaps we have not yet long term how on earth are we going to reconcile
harnessed the potential of fusion simply because economic growth with climate stability?
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November 2008 • CABLEtalkUIbackUIforward21
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