Letter from the DOE to FESAC Chairman on U.S. Fusion Energy

Letter from the DOE to FESAC Chairman on U.S. Fusion Energy

January 30, 2017 Dear Dr. Rej: First, let me thank you for accepting the task of chairing the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) at this important time for the Fusion Energy Sciences program. We have considerable work ahead that will require thoughtful, informed advice regarding the future of fusion and plasma sciences in the … Read more

A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH

A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH

The National Academies of SCIENCES· ENGINEERING· MEDICINE 2016 Statement of Task A committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will be formed to study the state and potential of magnetic confinement-based fusion research in the United States and provide guidance on a long-term strategy for the field. The study will focus on … Read more

What Does Peak Oil mean?

What Does Peak Oil mean?

Cornell University The original peak oil curve from M. K. Hubbert (1956) The pessimistic view (modified from ASPO, 2007) The less pessimistic view (modified from Edwards, 2001) All fossil fuels are non-renewable at the time scales of human civilization, so we must ask, how much longer will oil and gas be available in sufficient quantities … Read more

Out of Gas: The End of the Age of Oil

Out of Gas: The End of the Age of Oil

Portland State University Seminar Speaker: David L. Goodstein, Professor of Physics and Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology Talk given in March, 2015 Dr. David Goodstein explains why he predicts: “Civilization as we know it will come to an end sometime in this century, when the (fossil hydro-carbon) fuel runs out.” Dr. Goodstein alludes to … Read more

Fusion Energy Science Research & Development – Why a New Path Forward is Needed

Fusion Energy Science Research & Development – Why a New Path Forward is Needed

The conventional approaches to fusion have proven long and costly; the US Government does not have a coherent, unified approach to fusion energy Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is funded through the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) as a nuclear weapons stockpile stewardship activity. NNSA is adamant (when convenient) that NNSA’s mission does not include … Read more

Energy Subcommittee Hearing – An Overview of Fusion Energy Science

Energy Subcommittee Hearing – An Overview of Fusion Energy Science

US House of Representatives April 20, 2016 An Overview of Fusion Energy Science Hearing Charter Opening Statements Energy Subcommittee Chairman Randy Weber (R-Texas) Full Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) Witnesses Dr. Bernard Bigot Director General, ITER Organization [Truth in Testimony] Dr. Stewart Prager Director, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory [Truth in Testimony] Dr. Scott Hsu Scientist, … Read more

Statistical Review of World Energy

Statistical Review of World Energy

The BP Statistical Review of World Energy provides high-quality objective and globally consistent data on world energy markets The 65th edition of the BP Statistical Review of World Energy sets out energy data for 2015, revealing a year in which significant long-term trends in both the global demand and supply of energy came to the … Read more

Russia develops hybrid fusion-fission reactor, offers China role

Russia develops hybrid fusion-fission reactor, offers China role

RT Oct.17, 2014 The view of the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center, Moscow.(RIA Novosti / Alexey Kudenko) / RIA Novosti Russia is developing a hybrid nuclear reactor that uses both nuclear fusion and fission, said head of leading nuclear research facility. The project is open for international collaboration, particularly from Chinese scientists. A hybrid nuclear … Read more