U.S. to announce fusion energy "breakthrough"

The Washington Post (via MSN.com) ^ | 11 December 2022 | Evan Halper & Pranshu Verma

[zeestephen]

The Department of Energy plans to announce Tuesday that scientists have been able for the first time to produce a fusion reaction that creates a net energy gain...It comes as the Biden administration is prioritizing fusion energy research in its climate and energy agenda.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Now, now, I am-old enough to remember FReepers posting here that it was impossible and a scam.

[Alas Babylon!]

Too good to be true...

But if it is, wow!

[rktman]

More here:

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4115610/posts

😁👍

[who_would_fardels_bear]

It's not clear what they mean by "net energy gain". Is this just the net energy gain associated with the energy put into fusing the elements and the energy that comes out?

Or does the net energy gain also include the energy required to maintain the magnetic field, the energy losses in converting fusion energy to useful work, etc.?

Some estimates are that workable fusion reactors may have to release at least 20X the energy directly used to fuse the elements in order to account for all of the other losses in a typical real-world power plant.

[proust]

“It is still at least a decade — maybe decades — away from commercial use”

A decade away is science code for never.

[SuperLuminal]

Hogwash, IMHO...

[Rebel_Ace]

While this is an important engineering milestone to be sure, what they are certainly going to report is that they triggered a reaction that released more energy than was used JUST to start it.

This would NOT account for all the additional energy used to RUN the other components of the reactor, and as yet, no one has developed a practical means of collecting the released energy in a usable form (to generate electricity for the power grid, for example).

I’m not trying to be a wet blanket here, just trying to maintain that these positive steps are still in the “baby steps” category.

[EEGator]

I await their detailed explanation of all inputs and outputs.

[algore]

there will be no real world uses for maybe only 10 or 20 years

[Secret Agent Man]

I don’t believe anything coming out of the government anymore.

[The Duke]

Ditto

[Skywise]

Yeah - given this administration and it’s propaganda arm, I’m calling BS.

[PLMerite]

“Now, now, I am-old enough to remember FReepers posting here that it was impossible and a scam.”

You mean Rossi(?) and the LENR scam?

Is this “breakthrough” cold fusion, or the hotter than the center of the sun fusion?

[DouglasKC]

“It is still at least a decade — maybe decades — away from commercial use” A decade away is science code for never.

Especially because cheap, abundant energy is something the globalists do not want.

[kosciusko51]

Which will happen first?

1. US Men’s Soccer Team wins the World Cup
2. Fusion reactors begin to power the electric grid

[upchuck]

FReepers wishing to avoid a trip through msnland, and all that implies, can find the original article posted here:

https://archive.vn/GqfcE

[upchuck]

... develop a technology that provides unlimited, cheap, clean power...

That is the last thing progressives want. Unless, of course, they control it.

[DannyTN]

Great!!!

That should put us about 20 years away from having fusion..

[Olog-hai]

It’s worded like it’s a perpetual motion machine, i.e. a violation of the law of conservation of energy. Therefore, take it with a grain of salt.