- #1
- 5,229
- 2,277
There have been several recent threads on the feasibility of fusion power. There is reason to be hopeful. This study from MIT claims, due to the breakthroughs in high-temperature superconductors, that an economically feasible Tokamak can be built in the foreseeable future.
For the purpose of this thread, let's not debate that. Let's assume that the technical problems were solved and we had a working design for a fusion reactor with similar economics to existing fission reactors. Then my question is, is there any reason to believe that there would be greater public acceptance of this technology than there is of fission technology?
It's true that the radioactive waste produced by a fusion reactor will be less and less long-lived than that produced by a fission reactor. However, the radioactive inventory and waste stream from a fusion reactor will still be enormous. Public opposition to fission power is not based on quantitative arguments, but is more based on an "all radiation is bad," mindset. I worry that even if we had a working fusion reactor, the public response would be, "Wait a minute, I thought you told us this was clean technology? Now we find out that it still generates large amounts of radioactive waste."
This article highlights my concern. In many ways fusion reactors will have the same problems that lead to the public opposition to fission power. Comments?
For the purpose of this thread, let's not debate that. Let's assume that the technical problems were solved and we had a working design for a fusion reactor with similar economics to existing fission reactors. Then my question is, is there any reason to believe that there would be greater public acceptance of this technology than there is of fission technology?
It's true that the radioactive waste produced by a fusion reactor will be less and less long-lived than that produced by a fission reactor. However, the radioactive inventory and waste stream from a fusion reactor will still be enormous. Public opposition to fission power is not based on quantitative arguments, but is more based on an "all radiation is bad," mindset. I worry that even if we had a working fusion reactor, the public response would be, "Wait a minute, I thought you told us this was clean technology? Now we find out that it still generates large amounts of radioactive waste."
This article highlights my concern. In many ways fusion reactors will have the same problems that lead to the public opposition to fission power. Comments?
Last edited by a moderator: