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Athre
Minmatar The Higher Standard
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Posted - 2010.01.28 21:31:00 -
[1]
Okay so I am sitting at work and I get this link.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8485669.stm
Absolutely WOW.
Discuss the real life market opportunities and what conjecture to horde for profit :)
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Baljos Arnjak
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Posted - 2010.01.29 01:31:00 -
[2]
Yeah, that kind of tech is awesome! I have a feeling that getting ignition isn't going to be that much more of a problem (just ramp up the power/number of lasers), but shielding from the radiation could be. But if the thing is surrounded by concrete, I don't think it'll hurt anything (except for tree-hugger pride when windmills are abandoned).
You should check out physorg.com, there's all sorts of interesting articles there about stuff related to science and physics.
As far as real market consequences go, if laser ignited fusion becomes cheap, easy, and safe, energy will get cheaper = lower costs to businesses (particularly manufacturing) = higher production = lower prices on consumer goods = more people buy stuff = Economy grows. Depending on how much energy you get back from this, the country could become energy independant or even an energy exporter.
As far as I know, Deuterium is relatively abundant (not sure on this though) in nature being an isotope of hydrogen, so fuel prices shouldn't drastically rise for a long time due to scarcity, but it might go up with speculation or manipulation. This could just be my ultimate nerdliness talking, but this seems like a near perfect energy source
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Drab Cane
Carbenadium Industries
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Posted - 2010.01.29 05:41:00 -
[3]
I'm still waiting for someone from the wind and sunshine crowd to point out that hydrogen is not a renewable energy source. (And what happens to the waste helium?) -----------------------------------------------
- Who Dares, Wins
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Kapse Locke
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Posted - 2010.01.29 06:35:00 -
[4]
Originally by: Drab Cane (And what happens to the waste helium?)
Balloons. |
Riethe
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Posted - 2010.01.29 07:42:00 -
[5]
Originally by: Kapse Locke
Originally by: Drab Cane (And what happens to the waste helium?)
Balloons.
They will turn the helium into balloons, but then we won't have any helium left to fill them with.
Laser technology ruining Christmas everywhere.
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CCP Applebabe
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Posted - 2010.01.29 08:42:00 -
[6]
Moved from Market Discussion.
Applebabe Community Representative CCP Hf, EVE Online Contact us |
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Wuff Wuff
Deep Core Mining Inc.
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Posted - 2010.01.29 10:28:00 -
[7]
Brilliant news. I remember reading about this place about 6 months ago, the light the article put them in made them come across like a bunch of mad scientists who had somehow got quite a chunk of money to build a giant underground laser that even they thought probably wasn't going to work (but thought they would get useful data from anyway). It's great to hear that such an obstacle has been overcome.
However, there's still a real problem here. Even once fusion has become a stable and proven form of energy supply, the cost of a reactor will be even more astronomical that a nuclear plant. Even if this experiment proves successful, I think we're at least 25-40 years away from fusion providing any kind of meaningful addition to the energy grid. Couple this with the fact that here in the UK, most of our nuclear reactors will be going offline in the next few years with no replacements for at least 10-15 years, if ever, a North Sea that is pretty much drained of oil and the fact that we will probably be relying on Russia for our gas supply very heavily for at least the next couple of decades, it's no wonder people are predicting large power shortfalls over the next 5-10 years.
We probably won't be the only country either.
- Wuffles
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Glarion Garnier
Thermal reaction
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Posted - 2010.01.29 13:56:00 -
[8]
The problem with centralized energy production is that it allways gives the big guys a means of control over the the little guys. So in effect they can tax our energy (with energy in this instance I mean our time and or work effort / money) _________________________________ -be vary of the men behind the curtain-
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Hegbard
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Posted - 2010.01.29 15:03:00 -
[9]
Originally by: Wuff Wuff I think we're at least 25-40 years away from fusion providing any kind of meaningful addition to the energy grid
Fusion power has been 30 years away any time someone asked since the 60s. It's still 30 years away and will still be 30 years away in 30 years. It's Zeno's Paradox.
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Baljos Arnjak
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Posted - 2010.01.29 15:38:00 -
[10]
Originally by: Glarion Garnier The problem with centralized energy production is that it allways gives the big guys a means of control over the the little guys. So in effect they can tax our energy (with energy in this instance I mean our time and or work effort / money)
This is true, and why I like hydrogen fuel cell tech because it makes energy production in the home possible, all you need is a steady supply of water. The only problem with it right now is that it takes a lot of energy to crack water by electrolysis, which negates the whole system's efficiency.
To Hegbard: That's the problem with putting a time limit on stuff that's in development, and something that irks me in these types of articles. It's stupid to say how long something will take when there's so many unknowns involved, it'll get done when it gets done. The real question is will it be worth the money spent on it when it is finally done?
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Horza Gelian
Galactic Shipyards Inc Curatores Veritatis Alliance
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Posted - 2010.01.29 16:05:00 -
[11]
That's pretty cool, remember reading about it when they'd finished construction. Pretty sure we've already achieved fusion in a tokamak, but no way of transferring that to the grid? I know they've been firing the tokamak in Oxford for over 20 years in short burst. The pressures the lasers create on the pellet are truly incredible, and that they're learning about plasma manipulation is an amazing bonus as well. Can't wait to see the first full reaction if it goes ahead this year. Really need to read more up on it.
Originally by: Drab Cane I'm still waiting for someone from the wind and sunshine crowd to point out that hydrogen is not a renewable energy source. (And what happens to the waste helium?)
No, but it's ridiculously abundant providing cheap energy, not renewable. Fusion's never been about renewable, it's about cheap abundant clean energy. Why worry about renewable when the fuel is the most common element in the universe? Helium is used in the manufacture of rocket fuels, super conductors and airships. So if it can be harvested it can be used.
Originally by: Wuff Wuff Words
While Nuclear is defiantly not a long term solution, I feel it is one of the best stop gaps we've got until fusion or some other technology comes to fruition. To see our plants going out without adequate plans for new ones grates on me. And if technologies like this and this stand up, along with better understanding of construction and maintenance techniques, it seems highly viable.
But then again, mention nuclear and most people proceed to hysterically **** themselves because nuclear power is evil.
Originally by: Glarion Garnier The problem with centralized energy production is that it allways gives the big guys a means of control over the the little guys. So in effect they can tax our energy (with energy in this instance I mean our time and or work effort / money)
Strap a turbine to your house, and some solar panels. Then proceed to give them the finger? Or if you're that bothered about having to pay for energy, go and live in the woods?
Originally by: Hegbard Fusion power has been 30 years away any time someone asked since the 60s. It's still 30 years away and will still be 30 years away in 30 years. It's Zeno's Paradox.
In the 60s people thought we'd be living on the moon with flying cars and silver clothes.
Money. Fusion research has gotten bugger all because it didn't need it in the eyes of those doling out said money. Now more will be plowed into research, and we should start seeing more progress. This article is proof of that, and the money being put into various other projects and reactors.
Just because it's taken time doesn't mean we should give up on it. What about space flight? Thats taking forever and a day to progress but it doesn't mean we should ignore it.
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