Nuclear fusion power plants soon.

[JohnnyReb]

Well, 10 to 20 years, that's soon to me. 100 mega watt units small enough to fit in the back of a truck and a lot safer than fission units.

http://news.yahoo.com/lockheed-says-makes-breakthrough-fusion-energy-project-123840986--finance.html

[freedumb2003b]

[thundley4]

Fusion power research is more worthy of research than wind and solar for the foreseeable future.

Still, even if the reactor could fit on a truck, there is still the other components needed to generate electricity that would make the power plant much bigger.

[freedumb2003b]

Fusion power research is more worthy of research than wind and solar for the foreseeable future.

Still, even if the reactor could fit on a truck, there is still the other components needed to generate electricity that would make the power plant much bigger.

True -- the physics of distribution are very much in play no matter the power source.  BUT with fusion the distribution is the limiting variable, not the generation.

[thundley4]

True -- the physics of distribution are very much in play no matter the power source.  BUT with fusion the distribution is the limiting variable, not the generation.

However, since fusion plants would be much smaller and safer, there might be less resistance building them closer to population centers, and that would cut down the possibilities of large blackouts affecting whole regions instead of just one city. It could make distribution and maintenance costs cheaper.

[Bad Dog]

This must be the elusive "cold" fusion.  The last article I read about hot fusion said it would take the first 100 years output from the reactor to get the thing started.

[obumazombie]

This must be the elusive "cold" fusion.  The last article I read about hot fusion said it would take the first 100 years output from the reactor to get the thing started.

Only libs believed in cold fusion. It was the almost ultimate something for nothing.