(Late note - I thought I had sent this on the 17th)
List:
1. I was asked yesterday by a friend what Wednesday's Lockheed (Skunk
Works) announcement on development of a 100 MW fusion reactor might mean for
biochar. I thought it positive, but wonder.
2. The best report available yesterday was:
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/compact-fusion.html
The 10-person Lockheed team possibly has contained a plasma already -
but almost certainly no fusion.
3. There was more today at the Aviation Week site. Next week's issue
will have this as the cover story, with much already at/near these sites:
http://aviationweek.com/blog/high-hopes-can-compact-fusion-unlock-new-power-space-and-air-transport
http://aviationweek.com/fusion-podcast
All positive remarks. Mention of a Nobel prize if they meet their
schedule. Personally, I can't remember any bigger energy supply announcement
- ever - if it pans out. Of course it may not. But either way, it should
change public thinking about our energy future in major ways for at least the
next five years.
4. Summarizing briefly, Lockheed is proposing a 100 MW plant in a
space not much larger than a semi. Lockheed says this will allow an aircraft
to have unlimited range and time in the air. Supposed to be 10 times better
performance than the Tokamak and ITER fusion approaches. Cheap. Safe. All
because they are going small. Lockheed is looking for funding based on a goal
to operate for 10 minutes in five years, doing five annual updated designs by
then. If successful, the next goal will be commercial units available in 10
years. They announced now in order to obtain financial partners. My guess is
that won't be difficult. This particular part of Lockheed has a good
science/engineering reputation; I have found no mention of a hoax.
5. This announced schedule will eliminate (if, big if, they are
correct) the need for much fossil fuel, so a successful reactor should make it
easier to get enthusiasm for all forms of CDR. Their "small" systems can be
disseminated widely quickly. Since they are basically producing only thermal
energy, biomass/biochar (rather than natural gas) could be the best non-fossil
backup option, with some reduction in the need for wind and solar.
The fastest moving biochar operation today (Cool Planet) is supplying a
biofuel. A successful Lockheed system would cut into the Cool Planet future
market some, but their system could not supply liquid fuels.
If 100 MW is near the smallest possible fusion system, this still
leaves plenty of market for smaller combined heat, power and biochar (CHPB)
systems.
Land requirements can be much reduced if less biochar is needed.
Biochar similarly operates with a small unit scale, which will be favored by
many.
6. I hope others can similarly comment on how this announcement might
influence SRM prospects over the next few years - independent of the likelihood
of a Lockheed success.
Ron
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