November 24, 1998

A group of 16 individuals from both the magnetic and inertial fusion communities in the U.S., under the lead authorship of Rob Goldston (PPPL), has posted "A Discussion Draft Roadmap for Fusion Energy: A Portfolio Approach" on the web (http://www.fusionscience.org/). Mike Campbell (LLNL) was also an active participant in formulating the draft. Goldston and Campbell presented the draft to DOE Under Secretary Ernest Moniz and to OSTP staff member Bob Marianelli on November 10.

The document can be downloaded in PDF format. Comments are requested from the general fusion community by email (roadmap@fusionscience.org).

The document states, "This Roadmap includes both magnetic fusion energy (MFE) and inertial fusion energy (IFE) approaches within a unified framework, designed to build on the successes in each of these programs. The experimental results of the last decade indicate that fusion can be an energy source, and the challenge now is to optimize the science to make it practical and affordable. This is the central focus of this roadmap."

The document states that it is based on a three element strategy:

1. National Stewardship of Plasma Science and Technology
2. Concept Innovation as the Centerpeice of the Domestic Program
3. Energy-Producing Plasmas and Fusion Energy Technology, Pursued Internationally.

ASSESSMENT PROMISED IN 2003-4

The document promises "a key assessment in 2003-4 of whether and how to move into a more aggressive fusion energy development program." It states, "Success with one or more of the present front-running MFE or IFE concepts will provide the technical justification for such a (major next) step (device)." If no such step is justified, the document states, "other concepts in the portfolio, which look potentially more attractive at that time, would move into the lead roles in a rebalanced portfolio." The 2003-4 assessment is predicated on a budget increase of $66 million starting in FY 1999 and maintained throughout the period.

Other members of the "Working Group" of authors of the draft are listed as: Charles Baker (UCSD), David Baldwin (GA), Roger Bangerter (LBNL), William Barletta (LBNL), Stephen Bodner (NRL), Michael Mauel (Columbia U.), Robert McCrory (U.Rochester), Gerald Navratil (Columbia U.), Miklos Porkolab (MIT), Stewart Prager (U. Wisconsin), Jeffrey Quintenz (SNL), Michael Saltmarsh (ORNL), Kurt Schoenberg (LANL), and Keith Thomassen (LLNL).