SOFE calls for bolder steps forward

[Irtaviš Ačankif]

I didn't write it, but it really is a big step in the right direction. Fusion energy WILL be the future.
http://www.iter.org/newsline/184/797

Fusion energy, if successful, will provide extremely clean energy (though not technically renewable) which will last for tens of thousands of years, because the fuel is deuterium, which is abundantly present in water. It has higher payoffs than other types of new energy such as solar, wind, and most notably geothermal and biomass, which are respectively inefficient and polluting.

I am a supporter of fusion energy, even though in energy debates I usually side with solar or fission nuclear because fusion isn't practical yet.

If fusion energy succeeds within the next few decades, the RDA wouldn't be needing unobtanium anyway... 'Ivong Na'vi!

[Toruk Makto]

At the risk of appearing to promote conspiracy, a significant part of the fusion energy effort needs to be making sure the existing fossil fuel establishment doesn't try to sabotage any advancements to the technology. Now, before the right wing goes off on any rants, remember that the first successful industrial level fusion energy source will signal the beginning of a rapid decline of the multi-trillion dollar petroleum industry and most of it's dependents. Apart from some manufacturing raw material needs, petroleum and most devices that use it will be immediately obsolete. Of course that will be a major economic and cultural shakeup and something that needs to be addressed early on. From what I've seen, it hasn't received a lot of public attention yet.

Also, although I have to agree that solar is currently inefficient, it is improving and will likely be an important adjunct portable energy source alongside whatever other commercial technologies that end up winning the race.

[Tsyal Maktoyu]

This is awesome, the dream is becoming a little closer to reality each day. And Marki is right, they do need to be vigilante about how the current energy status quo reacts, not just oil but coal as well.

Though in defense of renewables, they're getting more efficient and better everyday. Solar panels are becoming more efficient and cleaner to make, and heliostats are being given more consideration (Google just made a big investment in heliostat "power towers"). There is work being done on inflatable wind turbines which can access faster upper level winds, as well as battery technology to better store the electricity they generate. Not sure if geothermal has really made any advancements, but it's always been a reliable source of energy where it is available. There's also tidal and wave, which can harvest energy from water without having to dam it off.

But what I think is most important, is the development of the smart grids to pull it all together to optimize efficiency. I also think the government has a role to play in this to help foster these developments, such as Germany's subsidies for home solar panels, which comes to mind.

[Irtaviš Ačankif]

Fusion is quite renewable, since we always find sources of fusion fuel. By the time deuterium runs out, we're probably already shipping in unobtanium from Pandora. Just kidding, but fusion fuel is so abundant, when we run out of it let's just switch to solar because it got so efficient and use superconducting unobtanium for wires.

Yes, indeed, the coal industry would be very mad. Oil industry won't have too big a reaction, since they still have the big car and bus thing, but coal...will run out. This is why I like companies like Entergy which specialize on many kinds of energy. They will support whatever works, not just oil and coal.

However, if fusion proves to be very good, I doubt that the coal companies would do a conspiracy. Orchestrating a mass misinformation campaign (like I suspect they do now on fission nuclear) would be more difficult than just switching to fusion and making tons of money.