Economically acceptable fusion power stations with safety and environmental advantages

Implications of fusion power plant studies for materials requirements

“…These are uncertain. Calculations [4,6] were made for ranges of the values over which the key physics and technology parameters may vary. Best estimate plasma performance broadly corresponded to performance about 30% better than the conservative design basis for ITER, which assumes some progress in the course of ITER experimentation and in parallel work.…”

“…This may be compared to published projections of the ICOE from other possible future technologies in the second half of this century. Broadly [4,6], the expected internal costs of fusion electricity are competitive with typical renewables (without storage costs), and about 50% greater than coal (without emission abatement costs) or fission. With the inclusion of emission abatement costs, fusion internal costs are competitive with those of 'clean coal' even on rather conservative assumptions [4,6].…”

“…Broadly [4,6], the expected internal costs of fusion electricity are competitive with typical renewables (without storage costs), and about 50% greater than coal (without emission abatement costs) or fission. With the inclusion of emission abatement costs, fusion internal costs are competitive with those of 'clean coal' even on rather conservative assumptions [4,6]. The costs of electricity storage, which would be needed by many renewables if they were required to provide non-intermittent power (for example, if other electricity generating sources were suppressed), would make them uncompetitive with fusion [4,6] in internal cost terms.…”

“…With the inclusion of emission abatement costs, fusion internal costs are competitive with those of 'clean coal' even on rather conservative assumptions [4,6]. The costs of electricity storage, which would be needed by many renewables if they were required to provide non-intermittent power (for example, if other electricity generating sources were suppressed), would make them uncompetitive with fusion [4,6] in internal cost terms. These points are illustrated in figure 4.…”

A Data-Assimilation Based Method for Equilibrium Reconstruction of Magnetic Fusion Plasma and its Application to Reversed Field Pinch

“…D EVELOPMENT of carbon-free energy sources with a less load to the environment is one of the urgent issues in ensuring human society and maintaining the sustainability of development. Nuclear fusion is one of the candidates for the solution, and development of fusion reactor has been in progress to realize electric energy production from virtually unlimited fuel sources [1], [2]. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, dubbed ITER, is under construction in France in the framework of international collaboration among major countries and organizations over the world [3].…”