FPN08-20

FESAC Starts Alternate Concepts Review

April 12, 2008

The U.S. Department of Energy Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC), chaired by Stewart Prager (U.Wisconsin), has established a panel "to critically evaluate the status of, and scientific opportunities for, major alternate (non-tokamak) magnetic confinement configurations. The panel will be chaired by Dave Hill (LLNL/GA). FESAC previously reviewed the tokamak concept. The panel is to report its findings to FESAC by October 1.

In a letter to FESAC requesting the review, DOE Under Secretary for Science Ray Orbach said that "there are two reasons for research in alternate confinement configurations. First, such investigations can advance fusion energy science to produce knowledge and discoveries not possible through study of one configuration only. Second, an alternate concept might itself evolve into a fusion energy system."

The members of the panel are:

David Hill (LLNL/GA), chair
Richard Hazeltine (U. Texas), vice chair
David Anderson (U. Wisconsin)
Jeff Freidberg (MIT)
Martin Greenwald (MIT)
Houyang Guo (U. Washington)
Hantao Ji (PPPL)
Tim Luce (General Atomics)
Dale Meade (FIRE)
Jon Menard (PPPL)
Martin Peng (ORNL)
John Sarff (U. Wisconsin)
John Sheffield (U. Tenn)
Xianzhu Tang (LANL)
Ed Thomas (Auburn U.)
Mike Zarnstorff (PPPL)

Dave Hill can be contacted at hilldn@fusion.gat.com