Power plant

Over ninety per cent of the world’s energy requirements are covered today by fossil energy sources. The reliability of present supplies readily obscures the fact that the climate problem, limited fuel resources, and political instability call in the long run for a new energy system – away from coal, oil, and gas.

Apart from renewable sources and nuclear fission, the only other alternative is fusion: The raw materials for fusion are available everywhere in almost unlimited quantities. A fusion power plant will not produce any climate-impairing gases and promises favourable safety properties. Fusion could therefore make a lasting contribution to energy supply of the future.

If research goes according to plan – this being 20 years of planning, constructing, and operating ITER and the same for a subsequent demonstration reactor – fusion could yield economically useful power in about 50 years. With about 1000 megawatts of electric power a fusion power plant will be particularly suitable for base load power supply.