Nuclear fusion - NOT amateur radio

For almost my entire life, the gold at the end of the rainbow was nuclear fusion (not fission) with its promise of almost endless low cost energy with no pollution. At every point we seem to have hit hurdles and I cannot see it being reality in my lifetime. I hope in the end the technical issues can be overcome.

Things may have moved a step closer with a new research facility at Oxford funded by Jeoff Bazos. This is reported by the BBC to cost £400M.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57512229 .

The ITER project - first realistic steps to clean nuclear fusion power?

ITER, a nuclear fusion project funded by many nations, is assembling the biggest nuclear fusion test reactor ever, in France. Due to "go nuclear" in the 2020s, this unit should produce 500MW for every 50MW put in as a result of the fusion process. Unlike nuclear fission, nuclear fusion has the potential for almost limitless nuclear energy without the radioactive waste risks associated with nuclear fission. Even with a successful project, commercial nuclear fusion reactors are unlikely until the second half of the 21st century.

A LOT is at stake here: nuclear fusion, if the technical issues are overcome, could be a saviour for the human race at a time when energy resources are likely to be in short supply at a time when demand will be at an all-time high.

Man's ingenuity is such that even the technical challenges of fusion will be overcome when the imperative is great enough. I have faith in the ability of scientists and engineers (and even in politicians) to come up with the solutions in time to help produce a better world for my children and grandchildren.  It's just a pity I shall not be around to see it.

Nuclear Fusion - our energy needs met soon?

Nuclear fusion plant of the future

Are we getting close, at last, to making clean nuclear fusion, as opposed to dirty nuclear fission currently used in power generation, a reality? The BBC reports that the UK has joined a project with a US laser lab to work on the creation of powerful lasers to compress atomic nuclei to the point fusion occurs. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14842720. If this breakthrough can be achieved commercially it could radically change the outlook for the world. Growing energy costs prohibit widespread creation of water desalination plants, desert irrigation, electric cars and the like, but think what would be possible if energy costs became inexpensive and plentiful for ever. Global warming is only too real, but I have faith that with strong investment and push we will make nuclear fusion a reality in the next 30 years. This could well save the planet. The main dangers on the way are the vested interests of the US petrochemical companies who will do everything possible to bias US government policy in their favour, denying vital fusion research the funding it needs.