Fusion: The Russians Are Coming

Zee News reports on a Russian scientist who wants Russia to export fusion power plants.

Tokyo, July 13: Russia is eyeing on designing thermonuclear plants for domestic and international market in the next 20 to 25 years, nuclear physicist Yevgeny Velikhov said.

He expressed confidence that Russia will be able to begin commercial production of thermonuclear reactors in 20-25 years.

"Russia's final goal is clear. We should at least get necessary knowledge to design and build thermonuclear plants for Russia's domestic purposes and for export," Velikhov said.

He believes that it is high time "to prepare Russia's science and industry to the next stage of commercial production."

"Our goal depends on ITER not by 100 percent. We should work ourselves as well. We have to prepare the new generation to this as the stage of commercial production will begin in 20-25 years as a minimum," he said.

America had better get a move on. At this point it looks like ITER will be 50 years from commercialization.

There is a shorter path. The direction taken by Tri Alpha Energy is one of those paths. The work by Dr. Robert Bussard is another.

A few of us are so convinced that this work has to go forward that we are working on an open source fusion reactor. You can find out more about it at IEC Fusion Technology blog. If you want to join in the fun you can visit or join the
IEC Fusion Newsgroup. We talk about the science, the technology, and funding the project, among other things.

We need to get a move on. The Russians are coming.

Cross Posted at Classical Values and at The Astute Bloggers