Why should the government continue to fund fusion research?

Why Nuclear Fusion is Worthy of Further Research and Government Investment. Since deuterium comes from ocean water, and tritium can be bred from lithium, fusion holds the promise of providing a nearly inexhaustible supply of energy, with no pollutants, no greenhouse gases, and no radioactive waste.

Why is there no way to have nuclear fusion on Earth?

Normally, fusion is not possible because the strongly repulsive electrostatic forces between the positively charged nuclei prevent them from getting close enough together to collide and for fusion to occur.

How much does nuclear fusion research cost?

By comparison, federal support for fusion research looks like a bargain. Since 1953, the U.S. government has spent about $30 billion on fusion energy science (a figure that includes the National Ignition Facility). That’s half a billion or so a year—about the cost of a single stealth bomber.

How does the US government get involved in the nuclear industry?

While the USA has more private sector participation in the production of civilian nuclear power than any other nation, the government is heavily involved through safety and environmental regulations, R&D funding, and setting national energy goals.

What is nuclear fusion and how does it work?

Interest in nuclear fusion, in which atoms are forced to join and thus release some of their energy, has been on the rise along with the development of solar, wind and other renewable energy technologies. Fusion is the holy grail of energy: completely clean, using only water and other commonly available elements as fuel, and cheap.

How does the US fund nuclear power plants?

The US government, through its own national research laboratories and projects at university and industry facilities, is the main source of funding for advanced reactor and fuel cycle research. It also promises to provide incentives for building new plants through loan guarantees and tax credits, although owners have to raise their own capital.

What are the most serious nuclear fusion projects around the world?

Ten Serious Nuclear Fusion Projects Making Progress Around the World 1 The National Ignition Facility (USA) 2 ITER and DEMO (France) 3 Lawrenceville Plasma Physics (USA) 4 FRX-L (USA) 5 Wendelstein 7-X (Germany) 6 Sonofusion (USA)