What do you believe would happen if we perfected a FUSION reactor for energy?

I seriously doubt that moving the world's electrical generation to fusion power would have any serious impact on the petroleum industry, or on the Middle East. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, oil-fired electrical generation only accounts for 5% of the world's power supply, so the drop in demand for oil wouldn't exactly be devastating. The drop that does occur will be at least partially offset by one of the side-effects of a larger supply of (relatively) cheap electricity. Historically, every major jump in power generation has been followed by a period of increased industrialization and an overall increase in the standard of living...take a quick look at the growth of a prosperous middle class in China and India.

The coal industry would take a serious hit, but even it's not going to go away...the demand for organic products (in the chemistry sense, not the rather absurd 'organic farming' sense) is going to insure that there will always be at least some market for *anything* with hydrocarbons in it.

Coal fired electricity base load generation will not be threatened unless a cheaper practical alternative presents itself. One way of making it less attractive is to artificially raise its price to the point where existing alternatives can compete (enter the carbon tax and emissions trading schemes currently under discussion & implementation).

Even with these measures against carbon producing methods of generation, you need to be able to produce MWh's day in day out for about $50 each or less to offset existing coal-fired technology. If continuous reliable fusion is achieved it will still have to hit that sweet spot pricewise or it will be little more than a niche technical curiosity & showpiece for public application. I imagine a military with an adequate budget will welcome it with open arms though if it can be scaled down to 'portable' or at least movable proportions.

reply to post by Pilgrum


Excellent points Pilgrum. Star.

Good points above. Where I think the energy policies will change is also to more localized power production. Its the scaling down of power plant systems and reduced dependency on the grid for distribution.

I think fusion tech should be designed with portability in mind. I image the tech as a drop in system intended to connect at local substation or to provide power independently to neighborhood s or industrial complexes.

I think of hurricane Sandy as a wake up call to the fallibility of the current power distribution Scheme. Think of all the miles of wire and power lost along them. I also think of the vulnerability of the grid to a Carrington like event.

If fusion can be done clean and quiet and small its the competive advantage needed to edge out the old energy production and distribution cartels.

We would start seeing infomercials asking you to donate and fund food starving middle eastern children. Most Wealthy muslims would move to western countries.

Originally posted by Xeven
We would start seeing infomercials asking you to donate and fund food starving middle eastern children. Most Wealthy muslims would move to western countries.

And this happens why, exactly?

Take a quick look back at my first post to this thread...I linked a chart showing power generation by fuel source. For the third time, oil fired power plants make up 5% of capacity/ . Even if the loss of that market segment wasn't offset by anything at all, the oil industry wouldn't be in a state of collapse. Given that a rising standard of living (one of the nigh-inevitable consequences of an increase in available power) is probably going to increase demand for several of the thousands of oil-derived products out there (fuel for new cars, lubricants for industry, and cosmetics, just to name three), the oil business might even come out slightly better off.