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Troubled ITER nuclear fusion project seeks new path
In 1985, then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US president Ronald Reagan launched one of the unlikeliest ideas of the Cold War.
Under it, the Soviet Union would team up with United States and other rivals of the day to develop nuclear fusion: the same limitless energy source that powers the Sun.
Today, 30 years on, their dream is still a long and agonising way from reality.
Launched in 2006 after years of wrangling, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project is saddled with a reputation as a money pit.
It has been bedevilled by technical delays, labyrinthine decision-making and cost estimates that have soared from five billion euros ($5.56 billion) to around 15 billion. It may be another four years before it carries out its first experiment.
But, insists its new boss, a page has been turned.
“There has been a learning process,” said Bernard Bigot, 65, a scientist and long-term chief of France’s Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) who was named ITER’s director general in March, replacing Japanese physicist Osamu Motojima.
“Today, there’s a real awareness among all the partners that this project has to have a dimension of strong management to it.”
ITER’s job is to build a testbed to see if fusion, so far achieved in a handful of labs at great cost, is a realistic power source for the energy-hungry 21st Century.
Fusion entails forcing together the nuclei of light atomic elements in a super-heated plasma, held by powerful magnetic forces in a doughnut-shaped chamber called a tokamak, so that they make heavier elements and in so doing release energy.
The principle behind it is the opposite of nuclear fission—the atom-splitting process behind nuclear bombs and power stations, which carries the risk of costly accidents, theft of radioactive material and dealing with dangerous long-term waste.
Despite the long haul, buildings are now emerging from the dry, yellowish soil near Aix-en-Provence, in the Mediterranean hinterland of southern France.
“The tokamak building is scheduled to be finished in 2018 and all 39 buildings by 2022,” Laurent Schmieder, in charge of civil engineering, told journalists during a press tour of the site.
The tokamak—a word derived from Russian—by itself is an extraordinary undertaking: a 23,000-tonne lab, three times heavier than the Eiffel Tower.
“This is a project of unprecedented complexity… a real challenge,” said Mario Merola, in charge of ITER’s internal components division.
Management tangle
Part of ITER’s problems lie in a diffuse managerial structure and decision-making among its partners: the 28-nation European Union, which has a 45-percent stake, the United States, Russia, Japan, China, India, South Korea and Switzerland.
The partners are providing their contributions mostly in kind, which has been a cause of messy, protracted debate about who should provide what, when and how. It has been further complicated by the role of national agencies, which in turn deal with their own suppliers.
In some cases, said Bigot, discussions have dragged on for six whole years without resolution.
He said that he told ITER’s board he would only take the top job if everyone agreed there was a need for change.
“A CEO has to have the power to make a decision and to have it applied,” he said.
Bigot has named his first priority as getting a fix on where the project stands overall.
By November, there will be a new progress report, with the likelihood of a further increase in the price tag. The project has no reserve fund to deal with the unexpected—something that Bigot hopes to change.
In 2010 ITER abandoned its goal of obtaining the first plasma in 2018 and set a new date for a year later, but Bigot said that this deadline “clearly isn’t feasible”.
So far around seven billion euros have been contractually committed to the thousand or so companies working on the scheme. Every year of delay adds 200 million euros to the bill.
“There have been difficulties, but we still have total faith in nuclear fusion as being worthy of the investment,” said Bigot.
“But clearly if we can’t manage this project correctly, if undertakings are not kept… (the project) could be in danger.”
24 Comments on "Troubled ITER nuclear fusion project seeks new path"
Rodster on Fri, 22nd May 2015 2:15 pm
“Technological Superstitions” by JMG
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2014/09/technological-superstitions.html
apneaman on Fri, 22nd May 2015 2:23 pm
“There have been difficulties, but we still have total faith in nuclear fusion as being worthy of the investment,” said Bigot.
“total faith” is the key phrase.
Lawfish1964 on Fri, 22nd May 2015 2:32 pm
International Team of Educated Retards. Sorry if I offended any of you retards out there. You know who you are.
Nony on Fri, 22nd May 2015 3:05 pm
It’s even worse than just a fusion boondoggle. Because they carve out the work to different countries, things don’t match up in the field and the whole project is a clusterf$#% of politics rather than engineering.
dubya on Fri, 22nd May 2015 3:13 pm
So the switch gets flipped in 2020, it works to perfection immediately. By 2025 there are blueprints available and sites have been chosen. In 2035 there are ten functioning 10 MW power stations with 100 under construction. By 2050 the majority of the First world is using grid fusion power from about 1000 plants. Double that in 10 years to allow most of the 3rd world access to minimal power, but by then the world population has roughly doubled so 10 years later we have 4000 plants by 2070.
After we have devoted most of our remaining fossil fuel, concrete, steel and aluminium to this massive build out of reactors, electric cars, tractors & high speed rail the world will then remain in a steady state of permanent social stability, equality and high standard of living with about 15 billion human inhabitants.
So, that’s that, problem solved; you can all go find another hobby.
penury on Fri, 22nd May 2015 4:54 pm
There is always “pie in the sky bye and bye.” It seems that everything is going to be wonderful in 20 years. Of course that is a running twenty so you never can get any closer.
J on Fri, 22nd May 2015 7:21 pm
Taking from the poor, and giving to the rich. Ensuring that those physics PhDs have something to do.
They would never put up ITER for a public vote.
Democracy is not at work. Even if ITER works it’s quite likely that it’s more expensive than fission nuclear, and fission nuclear is not exactly selling so well right now. Because it’s f**ng expensive.
So their slogan, “the way to new energy” is not true. It’s “a way to new energy”. And it’s not going to be cost effective.
J on Fri, 22nd May 2015 7:26 pm
From their website: “The science going on at ITER—and all around the world in support of ITER—will benefit all of mankind”
Should read:
“The science going on at ITER—and all around the world in support of ITER—is done with printed money and everybody will pay for it whether they want it or not”
Makati1 on Sat, 23rd May 2015 3:00 am
“Troubled ITER nuclear fusion project seeks new path”
How about dismantling the boondoggle and recycling the scraps? But that doesn’t require high six figure incomes for a bunch of arrogant, college brainwashed, nerds. Here in the Ps, ten story concrete and rebar building demolition is done mostly by human labor at $10 per day. (Sledge hammers, pry bars and wheelbarrows.) They would be happy to do it for $15 per day plus room and board.
peakyeast on Sat, 23rd May 2015 4:57 am
I am starting to think that this fusion business has been going on for too long – now the people with the most knowledge are pensioned or dead from old age – and the new “young” ones has to start forming their ideas. And we all know in what terrible shape the youth is… as always.. 🙂
shortonoil on Sat, 23rd May 2015 9:46 am
If it was known why the world’s first 16 attempts at fusion failed, number 17 might stand a better chance. Some independent engineers think they may know why, but the professional scientists at ITER refuse to take them seriously. This is not about science, its about being a member of the club! The same thing is happening with petroleum. It looks like no one is going to believe what is happening until the lights go out. If fusion can get 16 false starts, petroleum should deserve at least 32!
Bob Owens on Sat, 23rd May 2015 1:43 pm
Let’s compare this to a PV power plant that can be installed and running in about 3 years. So what project should get this money? ITER or Solar? ITER is an abomination. When will we realize that Solar works and needs our full support? Soon I hope.
GregT on Sat, 23rd May 2015 1:52 pm
Neither ITER nor solar are a solution to a liquid fuels crisis. They are both nothing more than a distraction from the dire reality that we face. Learn to grow food now, or face hunger.
Davy on Sat, 23rd May 2015 2:42 pm
Exactly Greg, it comes down to we are primarily a car culture with the primary liquid fuel for that culture depleting quickly.
The most profound action society could do now is ensure food stability through the introduction of back to the land movement of a significant portion of the population. We still must maintain fossil fuel agricultural along with this movement as long as feasible.
Yet, it is precisely this type of massive change that would bring down BAU. BAU cannot deviate from its brittle inflexible path of 2-3% growth or it dies relatively quick. Bob while I side with Greg’s statement I do agree with you if we are investing precious resources it should be on solar not fusion.
Bob Owens on Sat, 23rd May 2015 3:50 pm
Solar clearly cannot replace liquid fuels in any meaningful manner. Still, if you want to keep the lights of civilization on, my bet is for Solar and low-tech mechanical systems. For example, a small solar farm powering a battery tractor and water pumps for irrigation will be light years ahead of manual labor. That type of system could be maintained pretty much forever if we wanted to. The auto culture of the world, along with lots of other stuff, is clearly doomed. If we want to make a better future we have to try different things and stick with what works, disgarding what doesn’t. The alternative is chaos, which is what we are starting to see in the Middle East.
shortonoil on Sat, 23rd May 2015 4:59 pm
“Solar clearly cannot replace liquid fuels in any meaningful manner. Still, if you want to keep the lights of civilization on, my bet is for Solar and low-tech mechanical systems.”
I think that a very good argument for what controls the complexity of a civilization is that it is a function of their average energy intensity. History, certainly supports that. Maintaining a solar panel requires screws, but the manufacture of the screw is 12,000 miles away. When you run out of “screws” you have run out of solar panels; and about 20 other things.
Davy on Sat, 23rd May 2015 5:52 pm
Considering entropic decay of our complex culture AltE power sources will likely survive no more than 10years in there originally form. Then there is salvage that could conceivably last many years with the right hillbilly ingenuity.
Let’s face it friends complexity needs complexity. Once global complexity is gone local complexity will not be far behind. If we have a long emergency we may see locals with a degree of longer term complexity somewhat like the offshoot of Byzantium Rome once Rome fell.
GregT on Sat, 23rd May 2015 6:03 pm
Replacing tens of millions of years of stored solar energy with current sunlight, will not sustain a population of 7 billion plus human beings. Sorry Bob, chaos is coming. Keeping the lights on at night isn’t going to stop it from happening. What we are starting to see in not only the Middle East, but many other parts of the world, is the consequences of too much human energy production. Overpopulation is the root of all of our problems. Overpopulation caused by an excess of energy production.
Apneaman on Sat, 23rd May 2015 6:08 pm
What are the chances that in a serious collapse with energy shortages/brownouts/blackouts, local governments will not exercise their authority and expropriate residential and small business solar set ups? You know for the betterment of the community. Who will stop them? The police? It will be the police who take them. Martial law means suspension of the remaining freedoms. They’ll take anything you have they deem useful and give you a receipt.
Apneaman on Sat, 23rd May 2015 6:24 pm
Satellites capture how the lights have gone out in Syria
Bombings and huge numbers of people fleeing have cut night-time light levels by 83% since 2011, with places such as Aleppo almost entirely dark
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/12/satellites-capture-how-the-lights-have-gone-out-in-syria
GregT on Sat, 23rd May 2015 6:33 pm
“What are the chances that in a serious collapse with energy shortages/brownouts/blackouts, local governments will not exercise their authority and expropriate residential and small business solar set ups?”
I would sat those chances are pretty good. They have already been signed into law, at least in the US.
“Executive Order — National Defense Resources Preparedness”
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/03/16/executive-order-national-defense-resources-preparedness
Makati1 on Sat, 23rd May 2015 7:13 pm
When I flew over Tokyo Friday, I saw just how far the rest of the UFSA is behind Japan in solar electric. I was amazed at the number of solar roofed factories and other large buildings I saw. Not to mention that there are many solar ‘farms’ in the city covering acres of land. And not just a few but everywhere I looked. Granted, we did not fly directly over he city, but the approach was over many miles of land in the burbs. The only land use, not covered by asphalt or buildings, exceeding those ‘farms’ was rice paddies watered by gravity fed irrigation ditches.
In contrast, I flew over Chicago burbs into O’hare and over thousands of miles of America without seeing even one residence topped with panels, not to mention any solar ‘farms’, in sight. I did see a high percentage of irrigated fields that require electric and water in huge quantities and will revert to scrub land soon after BAU ends. America’s food basket is destined to shrink violently when the energy system shrinks.
Apneaman on Sat, 23rd May 2015 7:17 pm
Greg, from the “Executive Order — National Defense Resources Preparedness”
“ec. 102. Policy. The United States must have an industrial and technological base capable of meeting national defense requirements and capable of contributing to the technological superiority of its national defense equipment in peacetime and in times of national emergency.”
“technological superiority”
Never miss a chance to brag.
lol-eye roll. Hey how bout that F-35.
Davy on Sat, 23rd May 2015 8:06 pm
OH God, the anti-American is back from his trip to America. It was so nice just to have normal conversation while he was gone. Now it is back to the politically charged anti-American agendist puke polluting the board.