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All our energy troubles may be over

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  #1  
Old 17th November 2018, 13:54
jimg0nxx jimg0nxx is offline
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All our energy troubles may be over

Interesting article:-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46219656
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Old 17th November 2018, 14:10
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A very old chestnut. When I was studying for my PMG 2nd Class in 1958, the press and the scientific community were full of Project Zeta. All I can remember was that Harwell and Newcastle University were involved and it necessitated use of a torus - my first introduction to toroidal components. It was going to produce electricity at such a low cost that within 30 years it would not be cost-effective to charge customers for electricity - the cost of invoicing would outweigh the production costs.


Every decade since then (or thereabouts), an announcement appears about a breakthrough in nuclear fusion, such that within 30 years electricity will be produced by this technology. It always seems to be 30 years away, keeping its distance rather like the end of the rainbow. The references always used to be to the potentially low production cost but in latter years that seems to have lost importance and the claims now are more biased towards low-carbon and climate change benefits.
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Old 17th November 2018, 14:21
jimg0nxx jimg0nxx is offline
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Hi Ron,
These latest claims are denying the 30 years hence story and saying it will be with us in 5 years! They are claiming reduced costs.

Like you I'll believe it when I see it.


Jim
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Old 17th November 2018, 15:37
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Controlled fusion has been the Holy Grail come pipe dream for 60 years or more. Let's hope something comes of it. My own thinking is it has to happen with the amount of effort now being poured into it.
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Old 17th November 2018, 16:05
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I hope the optimists have it right.
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Old 17th November 2018, 16:34
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Super conductor temperatures seem to keep rising. This must help.
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Old 18th November 2018, 17:11
Dave McGouldrick Dave McGouldrick is offline
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A dedicated,cynical conspiracy theorist (not me you understand) might say that it is already available and has been for decades. Only the greed of the corporate ....etc..etc..etc.
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Old 18th November 2018, 18:39
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I seem to remember a false start about 25 or so years ago called 'Cold Fusion.' Didn't need the fancy paraphernalia of torus reactors or super lasers, just a sort of chemical lab something like that in 'Breaking Bad' for cooking Meth.
But apparently the people who claimed it had been using Meth …
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Old 18th November 2018, 18:59
Engine Serang Northern Ireland Engine Serang is online now
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No-no-no, Drax is the future.
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Old 18th November 2018, 23:06
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Engine Serang View Post
No-no-no, Drax is the future.



.... as soon as Yorkshire gets its independence.
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Old 18th November 2018, 23:32
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Quote:
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.... as soon as Yorkshire gets its independence.
Can't be long. We've been bloody contrary for decades.
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Old 18th November 2018, 23:41
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Once it's explained to Yorkshire how much brass it would cost them, they'll totally skin out. Or alternatively, we could go through a sort of Yorkexit similar to the farce we're going through now … but: … (goes into Yorky mode) … "If it costs more than five bob … appen tha'll give it tut miss."

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