T.E.G. Nicholas
Re-examining the role of nuclear fusion in a renewables-based energy mix
Nicholas, T.E.G.; Davis, T.P.; Federici, F.; Leland, J.; Patel, B.S.; Vincent, C.; Ward, S.H.
Authors
T.P. Davis
F. Federici
J. Leland
B.S. Patel
C. Vincent
S.H. Ward
Abstract
Fusion energy is often regarded as a long-term solution to the world's energy needs. However, even after solving the critical research challenges, engineering and materials science will still impose significant constraints on the characteristics of a fusion power plant. Meanwhile, the global energy grid must transition to low-carbon sources by 2050 to prevent the worst effects of climate change. We review three factors affecting fusion's future trajectory: (1) the significant drop in the price of renewable energy, (2) the intermittency of renewable sources and implications for future energy grids, and (3) the recent proposition of intermediate-level nuclear waste as a product of fusion. Within the scenario assumed by our premises, we find that while there remains a clear motivation to develop fusion power plants, this motivation is likely weakened by the time they become available. We also conclude that most current fusion reactor designs do not take these factors into account and, to increase market penetration, fusion research should consider relaxed nuclear waste design criteria, raw material availability constraints and load-following designs with pulsed operation.
Citation
Nicholas, T., Davis, T., Federici, F., Leland, J., Patel, B., Vincent, C., & Ward, S. (2021). Re-examining the role of nuclear fusion in a renewables-based energy mix. Energy Policy, 149, Article 112043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.112043
Journal Article Type | Article |
---|---|
Acceptance Date | Nov 15, 2020 |
Online Publication Date | Dec 14, 2020 |
Publication Date | 2021-02 |
Deposit Date | May 12, 2021 |
Publicly Available Date | Dec 14, 2021 |
Journal | Energy Policy |
Print ISSN | 0301-4215 |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 149 |
Article Number | 112043 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.112043 |
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http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Copyright Statement
© 2020 This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
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