Posted 6/29/2005 05:42:00 PM by Douglas

Is a fusion reactor as a sustainable power source a "pipe dream?" I don't know, but alternate energy sources aren't going to be discovered if we don't start looking.

The choice of France as the site for an international nuclear fusion reactor is a victory for strong-arm European diplomacy, but the EU has had to pay a high price for scientific prestige with uncertain energy benefits.

Sounds to me the EU is already off to a horrible start. The politicians are already hip deep in the blamestorming, and they haven't even squeezed a neutron yet.

"By hosting ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), the EU will maintain its position at the forefront of fusion research," the European Commission said in a statement.

"The existence of such a high technology, cutting edge research facility in the EU will have considerable benefits for EU industry."

Well, maybe. Maybe it holds the answers to the world's endless thirst for energy; maybe it's yet another Socialist boondoggle from the EU that does nothing but increase their taxes.

Ian Fells, of the Royal Academy of Engineering in Britain and an expert on energy conversion, described the ITER as a huge physics experiment.

Is anyone sitting around the world waiting for someone from the "Royal Academy" of anything to solve the world's problems? I didn't think so.

"If we can really make this work, there will be enough electricity to last the world for the next 1,000 to 2,000 years. So it is really quite important but quite difficult to do it," Fells told Reuters.

"I give it a 50-50 chance of success but the engineering is very difficult."

Well Ian, duh. Engineering is difficult, because if the problems were trivial, then we wouldn't need egg-heads like you at the Royal Academy, would we? So he's only giving it a 50-50 chance of success. That's pretty damming, considering the €10 Billion price tag that's required to get the project going. But ya know what has a 100% chance of failing to find the energy source that will meet the needs of the 21st century?

Doing nothing.