Fusion News: 2002

This paper summarizes key news events in the development of fusion energy. Highlights include status of ITER negotiations, FESAC studies, NIF construction and fusion-related legislation. Also included are summaries of the 2002 fusion Snowmass meeting and other workshops.     

The Fusion Energy Option

Presentations from a Fusion Power Associates symposium, The Fusion Energy Option, are summarized. The topics include perspectives on fossil fuel reserves, fusion as a source for hydrogen production, status and plans for the development of inertial fusion, planning for the construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, status and promise of alternate approaches to fusion and the need for R&D now on fusion technologies.     

A Review of the U.S. Department of Energy's Inertial Fusion Energy Program

This is the final report of a panel set up by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) in response to a charge letter from Dr. Ray Orbach (Appendix A). In that letter, Dr. Orbach asked FESAC for an assessment of the present status of inertial fusion energy (IFE) research carried out in contributing programs. These programs include the heavy ion (HI) beam, the high average power laser (HAPL), and Z-Pinch drivers and associated technologies, including fast ignition (FI). This report, presented to FESAC on March 29, 2004, and subsequently approved by them (Appendix B), presents FESAC's response to that charge.     

Report of the FEAC Inertial Fusion Energy Review Panel: July 1996

This report presents the results and recommendations of the U. S. Department of Energy Fusion Energy Advisory Committee (FEAC) review of its Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) program. The subpanel charged with the review was chaired by John Sheffield of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The FEAC, to which the subpanel reported, was chaired by Robert Conn of the University of California at San Diego.     

Fusion Innovative Confinement Concepts: 2004

This paper summarizes recent progress in fusion Innovative Confinement Concepts (ICC) as reported at the 2004 ICC Workshop held May 25–28, 2004 in Madison, Wisconsin. This was the third in an annual series of workshops on this topic. The purpose of these workshops is to provide a forum for those who are thinking and working beyond what is considered to be the current state of understanding of fusion concepts.     

Fusion News: 2001

This paper summarizes key news events in the development of fusion energy. Highlights include formation of a new U.S. energy policy and identification of key officials of the new Bush Administration, advances in construction of the National Ignition Facility, planning for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, and experimental progress on DIII-D tokamak and Z facility.     

Fusion News: 2003

This paper summarizes key news events in the development energy. Highlights include progress in negotiations for construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), actions of the U.S. government on fusion budgets, and technical progress.     

Fusion News: 2004

This paper summarizes key 2004 news events in the development of fusion energy. Highlights include lack of progress on negotiations to site the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), recent scientific achievements and status of U.S. fusion budget.     

Frontiers in Fusion Research

Presentations that were made at a Fusion Power Associates symposium, Frontiers in Fusion Research, are summarized. Discussions include the science frontiers of burning plasma physics, magnetic fusion concepts, inertial fusion concepts, and fusion technology.     

Fusion Power by Magnetic Confinement Program Plan

This report has been available previously only as Volume I of a 5-volume U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration Report ERDA-76/110 (1976). It was the first comprehensive U.S fusion development plan. It treats the technical, schedular and budgetary projections for the development of fusion power using magnetic confinement. It provided the basis for the U. S. fusion facility and funding commitments during the latter half of the 1970's and is published now to archive its historical significance.     

The Year 2015 Fusion Power Conversations

Assuming significant technical success in the ITER project by the year 2015, it is likely that governments will want to develop a more comprehensive plan for DT tokamak fusion power commercialization. To provide a glimpse into many of the related issues, we construct conversations between the director of the U.S. fusion program and three specialists key to commercial fusion success: an environment and safety regulator, an environmentalist, and an electric generation investor. The insights from these imagined conversations will hopefully be of value as tokamak fusion power proponents plan beyond ITER.     

Report on the Fifth Symposium on Current Trends in International Fusion Research

The Fifth Symposium on Current Trends in International Fusion Research was held on 24–29 March 2003 in Washington, USA in co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Well-known scientists in their field of interest in fusion research were invited to present review papers. The presentations covered a broad range of fusion topics, including inertial confinement fusion, electrostatic confinement, various magnetic confinement schemes, and hybrid schemes. Each session chairman composed a session report, which John Pucadyil used to create this Report on the Fifth Symposium.     

Enabling Technology in Support of Fusion Science

This paper summarizes remarks made at Fusion Power Associates annual meeting, July 17, 2000 in San Diego. It describes the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fusion Enegy Sciences programs in plasma and fusion technology in support of the U. S. fusion energy sciences program.     

Nonelectric Applications of Fusion

This is the final report of a panel set up by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) in response to a charge letter from Dr. James Decker, Acting Director of the DOE Office of Science. In that letter, Dr. Decker asked FESAC to consider whether the Fusion Energy Sciences program should broaden its scope and activities to include non-electric applications of intermediate-term fusion devices. This report, submitted to FESAC July 31, 2003, and subsequently approved by them (Appendix B), presents FESAC's response to that charge.     

Fusion Science and Technology for the New Millennium

Presentations made at recent Fusion Power Associates annual meetings are summarized. These include talks by government officials on fusion policy and presentations on topics ranging from recent scientific results to near-term, non-electric applications of fusion science and technology.     

Review of the Fusion Materials Research Program

This report presents the results and recommendations of the deliberations of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee Panel on the Review of the Fusion Materials Research Program carried out during 1998. Metrics evaluated included evidence of recognition, publications per worker, new people attracted to the work and significance of recent accomplishments.     

Fusion and Energy Policy

Presentations from a Fusion Power Associates symposium, Fusion and Energy Policy, are summarized. The topics include an overview of U.S. Department of Energy policies, fusion strategies in Europe and Japan, plans for U.S. participation in the construction of ITER, status of construction of the National Ignition Facility and recent progress in all aspects of magnetic and inertial fusion.     

Report of the First Fusion Energy Sciences Committee of Visitors

This is the final report of a Committee of Visitors (COV) set up by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) in response to a charge letter from DOE Office of Science Director Raymond Orbach (Appendix A). In that letter, Dr. Orbach asked FESAC to assess matters pertaining to program decisions for the DOE's fusion theory and computation programs. This report, submitted to FESAC on March 29, 2004, and subsequently approved by them (Appendix B), presents FESACs response to that charge.     

A Plan for the Development of Fusion Energy

This is the final report of a panel set up by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) in response to a charge letter dated September 10, 2002 from Dr. Ray Orbach, Director of the DOE's Office of Science. In that letter, Dr. Orbach asked FESAC to develop a plan with the end goal of the start of operation of a demonstration power plant in approximately 35 years. This report, submitted March 5, 2003, presents such a plan, leading to commercial application of fusion energy by mid-century. The plan is derived from the necessary features of a demonstration fusion power plant and from the time scale defined by President Bush. It identifies critical milestones, key decision points, needed major facilities and required budgets. The report also responds to a request from DOE to FESAC to describe what new or upgraded fusion facilities will best serve our purposes over a time frame of the next twenty years.     

Congress and the Fusion Energy Sciences Program: A Historical Analysis

This report reviews and analyzes the 42-year history of congressional deliberations over funding of the magnetic fusion research and development (R&D) program. That analysis provides the basis for an assessment about how the program might fare in the future as it proceeds in the direction of developing a long-term energy source from fusion. The assessment is presented as a series of questions that Congress may wish to address in determining the program's future.