Energy Biz - July/August 2008 - (Page 6) » our tAke Fund ItER Now It Is a natIonal scandal how America deals with energy research. Certainly not like a leader of the energy world. You do not have to spend much time with Dan Arvizu, the director of the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado before he starts simulating the ups and downs of a rollercoaster with his hands to convey levels of federal support for energy research since the 1970s. View from the Cadarache, France countryside showing the ground A recent example is DOE’s retreat on the being prepared for the ITER fusion project. FutureGen research effort meant to come up with PhOTO By MarTin rOsEnBErg the technologies that would convert our massive the ground. In nearby offices, scientists are designcoal inventory into a source of pristine energy. DOE ing and ordering components for the fusion reactor. said it was shocked – shocked – by cost-overruns They also worry about the project’s political standand had no choice but to cut the program. ing in the United States. Chances are you are not aware of another sorry Congress last year authorized just $10.6 million in example of collapsing federal support for needed funding for ITER for the current fiscal year. The U.S. energy research. I refer to ITER, which means “the obligation was $160 million. The world superpower is way” in Latin. I recently travelled to the south of $150 million in “arrears,” a DOE spokesman said. For France to get my second briefing on the unprecedented international effort to develop fusion power. the fiscal year starting in October, the United States is obligated to contribute $214.5 million. All told, our Fusion may be one of the most important energy country’s share of the project’s construction phase sources for civilization by mid-century. Fusion between 2008 and 2014 is $1.12 billion in funding reactors will be relatively easy to fuel and will throw and in-kind contributions of components. off lots of energy by replicating the workings of the ExxonMobil last year posted the highest profits sun. Compared to today’s nuclear power plants, of any corporation ever — fusion reactors would yOu arE inViTED TO rEaD My $40.6 billion or $1,287 a second. create lesser amounts BLOg EVEry FriDay aT www.energyblogs.com/rosenberg Surely the people of the United of waste that will States – and their political be radioactive a representatives in Washington – can dig deep and significantly shorter period of time. find the equivalent of the profits contributed to one The United States is joined by Russia, large oil company in just 46.5 hours – less than two China, India, Japan, South Korea and the days – to fund our country’s share of ITER in 2009. European Union in the ITER effort that is Michael Loughlin, who works at ITER on nuclear expected to last three decades. The deal shielding analysis and coordination, said that the was signed in the Elysee Palace in Paris on a crisp November unprecedented energy challenges ahead will require morning in 2006. It was political leaders to lead. “We have to have the best hailed by then French scientists here,” he said. “We need the best politicians President Jacques as well to provide us with the resources to do our job.” Chirac as “exceptional The payoff of fusion will be clear. “When we get it to work it will change life on earth,” Loughlin said. for its scientific It is time for Congress to meet our ITER obligations. ambition.” In the fields of Cadarache, about 40 miles northeast of Marseille, giant earthmovers JOin a cOMMuniTy OF BLOggErs DaiLy aT www.energyblogs.com recently prepared July/August 2008 6 E n E rgyB i z http://www.energyblogs.com/rosenberg http://www.energyblogs.com
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