ITER should be our top priority project to develop commercially feasible fussion reactors...

[whistle]

...within the next ten years to solve our need for cheap power.

<snip>
Introduction

The long-term objective of fusion research is to harness the nuclear energy provided by the fusion of light atoms to help meet mankind´s future energy needs. This research, which is carried out by scientists from all over the word, has made tremendous progress over the last decades. The fusion community is now ready to take the next step, and have together designed the international ITER experiment. The aim of ITER is to show fusion could be used to generate electrical power, and to gain the necessary data to design and operate the first electricity-producing plant.



Figure 1: The ITER machine. The man
in the bottom shows the scale.

In ITER, scientists will study plasmas in conditions similar to those expected in a electricity-generating fusion power plant. It will generate 500 MW of fusion power for extended periods of time, ten times more then the energy input needed to keep the plasma at the right temperature. It will therefore be the first fusion experiment to produce net power. It will also test a number of key technologies, including the heating, control, diagnostic and remote maintenance that will be needed for a real fusion power station.

The current participants to the project are the European Union (represented by EURATOM), Japan, the People´s Republic of China, India, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the USA.


<see article>
Figure 2:Countries participating in the ITER project.


The construction costs of ITER are estimated at five billion Euro over 10 years, and another five billion Euros are foreseen for the 20-year operation period. The contributions of the ITER Parties will for the largest part consist of components for the machine, so-called in kind contributions.

In June 2005, it was decided by the Parties to construct ITER in Cadarache, in the South of France. Currently, a joint implementation agreement is being prepared, which will establish the international ITER Organisation. The ITER Organisation will be responsible for all aspects of the project: the licensing procedure, hardware procurements mostly provided in kind by the Parties, the operation period, and ultimately for decommissioning of ITER at the end of its lifetime. <MORE>

http://www.iter.org/a/index_nav_1.htm

[Dogmudgeon]

1. But we CAN'T have nuclear energy!

Musicians would never forgive us!

--p!

[whistle]

3. Musicians and rock stars would rather have a cheap supply of heroin

[MadHound]

2. Cost intensive way of generating electricity.

Rather let us go cheaper, cleaner, renewable with wind.

[whistle]

4. Or tides perhaps, only problem with both of these sources the capital

...intensity and high maintenance costs plus wind systems generate DC power which must be converted to AC to be compatible with existing appliances in the home. You need batteries to store power when the wind is too faint or non-existent, or back-up gas/diesel generators which get back to using scarce fossil fuels.

<snip>
Cost and maintenance


<Wind generating> Systems up to 1kW will cost around £3000 whereas larger systems in the region of 1.5kW to 6kW would cost between £4,000 - £18,000 installed. These costs are inclusive of the turbine, mast, inverters, battery storage (if required) and installation, however it's important to remember that costs always vary depending on location and the size and type of system.

Turbines can have a life of up to 20 years but require service checks every few years to ensure they work efficiently. For battery storage systems, typical battery life is around 6-10 years, depending on the type, so batteries may have to be replaced at some point in the system's life. <more>

http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/generating/types/wind/

I suppose everyone could adapt to this form of power if we all became engineers. We have lost six years in developing and moving toward the next generation of nuclear power thanks to the greed and self-interest of Bush/Cheney and big oil. It is time to look for long term solutions to the U.S. needs for cheap, safe and lasting power.

[berni_mccoy]

5. Every machine that generates electricity requires maintenance and costs

The big savings off of Wind and Tidal generators is that you don't have to dump expensive fossil fuels in them that cost money and energy to pull out of the ground in the first place.

The cost of wind and tidal energy is extremely CHEAP compared to that of oil, coal or gas.