Virginia's Fusion Power Plant: A Step Toward Infinite Energy

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

No, this isn't the return of Marvel's Iron Man; Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has announced plans to build the world's first grid-scale fusion power plant near Richmond, Virginia.

Posted by LampLighter at 10:32 AM | 11 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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Fusion energy is the future! CFS teaming with Dominion could revolutionize power generation. Smart move to tap into Virginia's boom. #FusionEnergy #Innovation #CleanTech

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-- Tech Insider (@tech-insider.bsky.social) December 20, 2024 at 8:00 AM

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More from the article...

... After over 100 locations around the world were scouted, CFS chose a 100-acre (40.5-ha) plot of land in Chesterfield County in Virginia for the ARC " an acronym for "Affordable, Robust, Compact" " to be built. This fusion power plant aims to produce a continuous 400 megawatts of clean, virtually limitless energy by the early 2030s.

If the name "ARC" rings a bell, it's because it shares the same name as the fictional ARC reactor invented by Marvel Comics' Tony Stark to power his Iron Man suit and more. While Stark's mini fusion reactor was small enough to hold in his hand, the real-world CFS version will be closer to the size of a warehouse. No superhero suit included (yet). ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-12-23 12:05 AM | Reply

... it shares the same name as the fictional ARC reactor invented by Marvel Comics' Tony Stark to power his Iron Man suit ...

OK, my first comment is ...

If the project wants to be taken seriously, maybe don't name it after some fictional Marvel thing.

That aside, I hope this works.

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-12-23 12:08 AM | Reply

If the project wants to be taken seriously, maybe don't name it after some fictional Marvel thing.

Does "DOGE" ring a bell?

#3 | Posted by REDIAL at 2024-12-23 12:15 AM | Reply

@#3

#4 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-12-23 01:09 AM | Reply

I hope it works as well. It would be an amazing step towards the energy independence conservatives are constantly harping on about. I'd bet that in the background, gas and coal are probably lobbying to slow its development as much as possible.

#5 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2024-12-24 11:09 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Don't hold your breath.

We have been close to fusion power for 50 years.

The current projected date of economically sustained fusion generation will not occur until 2050. And that was an optimistic projection.

#6 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-12-24 02:30 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

This is simply an attempt to help the current energy mogul billionaires maintain their stranglehold on the permanent cash stream that our current energy production business model provides. That's because all the progress in wind and solar with battery storage threaten that cash flow because those energy sources can be downsized so that an individual or small community can get off that energy teat.

And energy mogul billionaires are scared to death they are going to lose their cash streams. Hence, the pretense that this billion dollar investment will work. I suppose it may, but I think it is way way way more likely this is some kind of Hail Mary pass to slow down the rapid progress that those alternative sources of energy are producing.

Let me repeat, this announcement is much less about the technology and much much much much more about permanent cash streams that the billionaires see disappearing in the future.

#7 | Posted by prius04 at 2024-12-25 04:40 PM | Reply

@#6 ... Don't hold your breath.

We have been close to fusion power for 50 years.
...

Agreed.

I also remember when atomic-generated electricity would be ...

"Too cheap to meter."
--- Lewis Strauss, the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, 1954

#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-12-25 04:49 PM | Reply

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
Step out of line, the men come and take you away

www.youtube.com

That's what popped into my head when I suffered that rant.

#9 | Posted by et_al at 2024-12-25 11:51 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

More lyrics from that great 1966 tune...

genius.com

...
There's something happening here
But what it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
A-telling me I got to beware

[Chorus]
I think it's time we stop
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's going down

[Verse 2]
There's battle lines being drawn
And nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Are gettin' so much resistance from behind

[Chorus]
It's time we stop
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's going down
...

#10 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-12-26 12:04 AM | Reply

Re # 10

Ah thems were the days.

When Rock and Roll was powerful and meaningful and had a direct connection to what was actually happening in society and even influenced it in positive ways.

Thanks for the mammaries!

#11 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-12-26 11:07 AM | Reply