FPN09-40

Magnetic Fusion Research Needs Report Posted

September 9, 2009

After a ten month process involving a large fraction of the magnetic fusion community, and culminating in a June 8-12 Workshop, a report has been issued entitled "Research Needs for Magnetic Fusion Energy Sciences." The process was chaired by Richard Hazeltine (U.Texas) with David Hill (LLNL) as vice-chair.

The 422 page report and 14 page Executive Summary is posted at http://fire.pppl.gov and also at http://burningplasma.org/web/renew.html

The report asserts, "The realization of fusion power would change the economics and ecology of energy production as profoundly as petroleum exploitation did two centuries ago." It states, "The worldwide fusion community broadly agrees that the science has advanced to the point where an aggressive action plan, aimed at the remaining barriers to practical fusion energy, is warranted." However, it says, "the program faces new challenges; above all it is challenged to demonstrate the timeliness of its promised benefits."

The study "surveyed the issues identified in previous studies, and used them as a starting point to define and characterize the research activities that the advance of fusion as a practical energy source will require." The research needs are described in terms of 18 "thrusts" grouped into the following 5 themes:

  1. Burning Plasmas in ITER
  2. Creating Predictable, High-Performance, Steady-State Plasmas
  3. Taming the Plasma-Material Interface
  4. Harnessing Fusion Power
  5. Optimizing the Magnetic Configuration