Fusion Power White Paper - Executive Summary

7/29/2019 Fusion Power White Paper - Executive Summary

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FusionW

hitePaPer

www.AmericanSecurityProject.org 1100 New York Avenue, NW Suite 710W Washington, DC

Fusion Power in the 21stCenturyMeeting the Challenge

Introduction

Te American economy depends on reliable sources o power.

Over the next ew decades, almost all o the power plants in the U.S. willneed to be replaced, and Americas dependence on ossil uels presents seriousnational security concerns they sap our economy, exacerbate climate change,and constrict our oreign policy.

America needs to develop next-generation energytechnologies.

Fusion energy holds great promise to meet Americasenergy needs. Energy rom usion is clean, sae, secureand abundant.

Scientists have been researching usion energy orseveral decades. Tey have made great advances inproducing and harnessing usion energy, but budgetcuts and annual uctuations in unding levels haveslowed progress. Given current support or usion,commercializing usion power remains decades away.

Te U.S. continues to alin its scientic competi

As one major example, into usion power co

to sae, aordable, clesustainable

Yet other nationsChina and South K

pushing much harder

to commercialize usiodont set it as a national

ourselves, we are in dlosing this r

ASP Board MNorman R. Au


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AMERICAN SECURITY PROJECT

America Needs an Apollo Program or Fusion Power

Te United States, as a society and a government, must make a national commitmentdevelop usion power because it will supply clean, sae, secure and abundant energy or next century.

Te U.S. Congress should authorize an accelerated push to develop usion power over tnext decade. Tis will require a sustained appropriation o $30 billion over 10 years. Trst step to this will be to approve adequate appropriations or Fusion Energy Sciences$475 million in the FY-13 budget and $522 million in the FY-14 budget, enough to ensthe continued operation o the U.S. domestic usion program and its international commments.

Te U.S. Government should challenge American scientists and engineers to build a uscale usion demonstration power plant within a decade.

How should America implement an ApolloProgram or usion energy -

Six Recommendations:

1. Te President should appoint a Fusion Power Commissionerto organize, streamline and lead the research, development &deployment o usion power.

2. Immediately begin construction o a usion Component estFacility to test and develop new materials needed or a usionpower plant.

3. Pursue multiple and parallel research paths (including inertial,magnetic, and alternative approaches) beore downs el ect ingto the most promising.

4. Devote increased resources to existing usion research acilities,

in order to ully utilize Americas existing resource base.5. Experiment with new and innovative power plant designs.

6. Scientists and researchers should actively collaborate withprivate businesses and vendors in a manner similar to theDeense Industrial Base to ensure an accelerated path to usion commercialization.

It is time to get serious athe possibilities o

energy technologies. We shnot allow short-term

difculties to cause us tour scientic leadersh

the next generation o e

sources. Our leadein areas like inorm

technology and space is being challenged.

energy systems pboth opportunitiethreats and we

that investments in technologies can help ex

these opportun

ASP Board MeGeneral Lester LUSAF (


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Te Benets o Fusion

What would the Apollo Program give us? An investment o $30 billion over ten years can achieve the goal ocommercializing usion energy within a decade.

Tis will bring 10 monumental benets to the United States:

1. Aclean source o power that will revolutionize the energy system in an era in which ossil uel reservesare diminishing.

2. New sources o base load power that can solve the climate crisis in a timerame that avoids the worstefects o climate change.

3. Te establishment o a high-tech industrythat will bringvast new streams o revenue to Americasleading industrial companies, creating thousands o new jobs.

4. Te creation o an exportable technologythat will allow America to capture a portion o the $37 tril-lion in energy investment over the coming decades.

5. Spin-ofinnovations in high-tech industries such as robotics, supercomputing, and superconductingmaterials.

6. American leadership in pioneering new scientic and engineering rontiers. As other countries (likeChina, Russia and South Korea) have ambitious plans to develop usion energy, being a rst-mover inthis emerging eld will enhance American competitiveness.

7. Freedom rom ossil uels, allowing the U.S. to conduct oreign policy according to its values andinterests, not according to commodity prices.

8. Aclarion call to bright young Americans to enter into scientic education.

9. A new source o energy that will ensure Americas economic vitality and global leadership in the 21thCentury, just as Americas vast resources helped us in the 20th.

10. Te opportunity to nally divorce energy use rom economic growth will bring untold economicprosperity.

Further Reading:

WHIE PAPER: Fusion Power A 10 Year Plan to Energy Security

Factsheet: Inertial Connement Fusion at the National Ignition Facility

Map: Fusions Reach Across America
http://americansecurityproject.org/?p=13377http://americansecurityproject.org/featured-items/2012/inertial-confinement-fusion-at-the-national-ignition-facility/http://americansecurityproject.org/issues/climate-energy-and-security/energy/fusion2020/about/fusions-reach-across-america/http://americansecurityproject.org/issues/climate-energy-and-security/energy/fusion2020/about/fusions-reach-across-america/http://americansecurityproject.org/featured-items/2012/inertial-confinement-fusion-at-the-national-ignition-facility/http://americansecurityproject.org/?p=13377


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Building a New American Arsenal

Te American Security Project (ASP) is a nonpartisan initiative to educate

the American public about the changing nature o national security in the

21st century.

Gone are the days when a nations strength could be measured by bombers

and battleships. Security in this new era requires a New American Arsenal

harnessing all o Americas strengths: the orce o our diplomacy; the might o

our military; the vigor o our economy; and the power o our ideals.

We believe that America must lead other nations in the pursuit o our

common goals and shared security. We must conront international

challenges with all the tools at our disposal. We must address emerging

problems beore they become security crises. And to do this, we must orge a

new bipartisan consensus at home.

ASP brings together prominent American leaders, current and ormer

members o Congress, retired military ocers, and ormer government

ocials. Sta direct research on a broad range o issues and engages and

empowers the American public by taking its fndings directly to them.

We live in a time when the threats to our security are as complex and diverse

as terrorism, the spread o weapons o mass destruction, climate change,ailed and ailing states, disease, and pandemics. Te same-old solutions

and partisan bickering wont do. America needs an honest dialogue about

security that is as robust as it is realistic.

ASP exists to promote that dialogue, to orge consensus, and to spur

constructive action so that America meets the challenges to its security while

seizing the opportunities the new century oers.

www.americansecurityproject.org

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Fusion Power White Paper - Executive Summary