oldcreaker t1_irwl66s wrote on October 11, 2022 at 4:10 PM

Reply to comment by thegodfatherderecho in UK to build first grid connected Fusion Power plant by noelcowardspeaksout

That's an improvement - I've been watching it be 30 years away from being 30 years away for a very long time now.

imperfectably t1_irwpurw wrote on October 11, 2022 at 4:41 PM

By very long time do you mean 40 years ago?

oldcreaker t1_irwqy5i wrote on October 11, 2022 at 4:48 PM

https://www.discovermagazine.com/technology/why-nuclear-fusion-is-always-30-years-away

imperfectably t1_irwro3n wrote on October 11, 2022 at 4:53 PM

Fair enough. Was thinking if 20 years ago they were saying 30 years from being 30 years away. And mow they are saying 20 years from being 20 years away. Then they would actually be on schedule. But doesn’t look like it.

Junesucksatart t1_irxasmh wrote on October 11, 2022 at 6:55 PM

I definitely wouldn’t hold my breath but some companies are getting really close to breaking Q.

CelestialWonderer t1_iry9rqo wrote on October 11, 2022 at 10:50 PM

What does Q mean? Sorry, I’m a bit ignorant on this topic

Junesucksatart t1_iryb5ux wrote on October 11, 2022 at 11:01 PM

Q refers to the ratio of energy put into the fusion system compared to the energy that comes out. Creating a fusion reaction is the easy part, getting more energy than you put in is the hard part.

CelestialWonderer t1_is0gtzt wrote on October 12, 2022 at 12:25 PM

Thank you

beatthestupidout t1_irzx1kz wrote on October 12, 2022 at 8:18 AM

It is an improvement. I bring it up in every thread where someone says the same thing, and if you track mentions of the time to fusion over the last 70 years, the jokes and reality seem to converge on a point about 10-20 years away.