±¬×ߺÚÁÏ

±¬×ߺÚÁÏ is making progress, and so is another fusion project: HiPER, the UK-led European High Power Laser Energy Research Facility, which will demonstrate the feasibility of laser-driven fusion as a future energy source. HiPER has just completed a two-year design study involving senior scientists from 12 nations.

The conclusions of this study allowed HiPER to be included in the European roadmap for future large-scale science facilities. HiPER is now preparing for a three-year project to resolve all the issues in preparation for construction: financial, legal, strategic, technical, etc. On 5-6 June, the Executive Board met for the first time, one member being ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Deputy Director-General Carlos Alejaldre. Why build HiPER if ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ is already being built, says one of the FAQs on the project's homepage? The project's coordinator, Mike Dunne, from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, gives the answer: "Fusion represents a very attractive energy source for the future in that the fuel supply is almost inexhaustible and there are no carbon emissions or long-lived radioactive isotopes produced. ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ represents one route for producing fusion but it is sensible to investigate other options to ensure fusion technology can be fully developed to meet our long-term needs. Multiple routes exist for fossil fuel sources (oil, gas, coal, etc) and renewable sources (wind, wave, solar, etc). Similarly, we must plan for multiple routes for our long-term energy requirements."