The Holly Grail ! 100's of billions have already been spent to maintain a fusion reaction for fractions of a second. Great science and engineering but I don't expect to see any commercial fusion generated electricity any time soon.
So Ambrose yet again goes off on a far-fetched rant, full of unsupported assertions and speculations, displaying his prejudices as he goes; thanks for sharing it with us. There are even a few valid points in this one, but it's hard to pick them out from amongst the nonsense. If only the UK was in a position to face the "problems" Germany has!
'A few said that could happen within 40 years but most said it would take another 50 or even 60 years. The fusion dream has never been worked on so vigorously. But turning it into reality is much more than 30 years away.' I think we need a plan B - soon.
I can't get over how rude Farrage is in the Euro Parliament. Whatever the contempt he holds the entire institution in, together with its members, he does use a method of communication which is barely admissible in polite society, one which does him no credit and only either serves to undermine the credibility of any valid point he might be making, or makes the UK look like some sort of Euro pariah state. I wouldn't express myself that way even on this forum. Other films I have seen of his speeches are exactly the same. Embarrassing.
"As a solar enthusiast, I am grateful to the Germans for their altruism. Roughly €100bn of their money has gone up in smoke - one way or another - developing solar technologies that have helped drive down costs to near “grid parity” in low latitudes. The great prize of market-based solar is within grasp." So grid parity is not a dream. It's pretty much a reality. Developments in technology will surely see grid parity evolve in more northern latitudes over the coming years. "As a scientist with a PhD in subatomic reactions, Dr Merkel knows that the post-Fukushima panic in Germany was hysterical." Or it could be that she has a good grasp of science and knows that her vision is achievable. "Mr Steinbruck called the Energiewende a “disaster”, but only because it has been mismanaged. “I have nothing against the idea,” he said." So, poorly executed strategy then, but not necessarily flawed strategy. "Angela Merkel says she is “more convinced than ever” that her green gamble will pay off. “If anyone can manage it, it’ll be the Germans. It’s not easy, but we can do it.”" What you have to appreciate here is the vision, the bold idea - akin to Kennedy's assertion of putting men on the moon, though no one knew precisely how to do it. It is a vision of that sort that is so lacking in British politics. To stake out what my company liked to refer to as a BHAG - a Big Hairy Audacious Goal - and then do your utmost to achieve it: that is leadership. Piffling around at the edges with no clear vision for real change - welcome to Westminster. Will Germany go to the wall because of this, or having burnt many of their boats on the beach, get the job done? I'd bet on the latter. The Germans have got form.
Energy isn't like money, it can't be just created out of thin air, it takes energy to harness energy and when the return on energy falls there are economic consequences, also unlike money it is difficult to store and release on demand. With an EROEI of 10-12:1 (OK slightly better than that because of improvements in technology) PV is close to the lower limits of sustainability. It has been estimated that a modern economy needs energy at better than an EROEI of 10:1 to function, otherwise there is no spare energy capacity for social needs and the whole system collapses. We will needs lots of panels and they will have to be regularly replaced. That is an opportunity for some to make lots of money, but the consequences for the average man is a significant increase in energy costs.
When those working in fusion say 30, 40 or 50 years what they really mean is we haven't got a clue but in the meantime we are going to spend lots of money and have some fun. Maybe it will pay off, maybe it won't but I don't think many of us will be around to see the benefits. When I look at that construction site for the Iter I have a vision of the statues of Easter Island.
I find Farage an interesting politician, he has found a niche within which he can resonate and uses the tools that work for him. I think he shows up the likes of Barroso and Van Rompuy for the Gilbert and Sullivan characters they are. That he gets under the skin of those soft on Europe means he is doing his job, whether it makes any difference in the long run remains to be seen.
There is something a bit "neinsager-ish" about you John. Is CERN also a waste of time and money (must have cost plenty - a phenomenal exercise)? Where do you want to draw the line? Stick with tried and tested technologies, attempt nothing new? Was the space programme a waste of time, the Hubble telescope? Maybe we should abandon all hope of moving forward, embrace the doomsayers and stick firmly with the status quo. Perhaps that is what Conservatism is after all - the clue is in the name. A 50 year punt in order to provide cheap limitless energy - isn't that worth it? And think of all the employment and benefit to society through trying - the educated engineers and physicists learning much, the subcontracting etc. etc. Or would it just be better if we put a few more quid in everyone's pockets so that they could spend it on a bigger plasma TV from China or some new decking? When it comes down to it, what exactly do you want, John?
There's a river running through most towns, and though the water levels rise and fall they rarely run dry, and never stop running, ever. Why the hell isn't there a mill wheel in every river in the country? But instead of grinding flour it'd produce at least a small amount of energy; enough to run the street lights perhaps, or the traffic lights. Surely this is doable on the cheap?
Farage is an elected member of a democratically elected parliament, which has a host of difficult and complex issues to deal with, as parliaments do. Parliaments have norms of debate and discourse, which include being civil to your opponents. Farage must know that he does not have the remotest prospect of putting together a majority to support any of his ideas, even in UK let alone in Europe as a whole. So he cannot engage with any real issues, instead he seems to be interested only in clownish showing off, headline-seeking, insulting people, and abusing the procedures. Every parliament has one or two like him. He embarrasses himself, but he doesn't "get under the skin" of anybody.
