The latest experiments at the Joint European Torus (JET) in the UK show just how much energy can be achieved with nuclear fusion. The comparison with coal is particularly impressive.https://www.notebookcheck.net/0-2-milligrams-for-the-energy-revolution-New-record-in-the-JET-nuclear-fusion-reactor.802218.0.html
Solar energy seems like a much cleaner and simpler path, especially now with a wide variety of large-scale energy storage technologies.
The technology is advancing in a very good pace but the shortage of deuterium and tritium can be a real problem
Quote from: MQ.Yang on February 11, 2024, 01:13:22Solar energy seems like a much cleaner and simpler path, especially now with a wide variety of large-scale energy storage technologies.
...except it requires a looot of space, the output amount is very unstable (weather conditions) and the closer You get to any of the earth's poles the result gets worse.
Quote from: Blablabla on February 11, 2024, 10:24:55Quote from: MQ.Yang on February 11, 2024, 01:13:22Solar energy seems like a much cleaner and simpler path, especially now with a wide variety of large-scale energy storage technologies.
...except it requires a looot of space, the output amount is very unstable (weather conditions) and the closer You get to any of the earth's poles the result gets worse.
We have plenty of desert areas for this, as well as the possibility of integrating panels into building roofs and windows. In fact, I predict that most people will eventually produce their own energy in an isolated off-grid system.
In theory fusion power has a great advantage over renewables: it could potentially be ramped up in a short span of time (that is not possible with fission plants). Energy storage is still very expensive and is the main limiting factor for renewables. It is the main talking point for skeptics: what to do when the sun does not shine/wind does not blow.
Anyways, if they finally get it to work then it has the potential to out-compete every other power source.
BTW energy transmission over long distances is very expensive to build. Someone tried to design a solar power plant in Sachara to provide electricity to Europe. But it was specifically the transmission infrastructure build-out cost that killed the project.