Nuclear fusion is the holy grail for energy

✒ MOST folk appreciate that power plants, with the exception of hydro, tidal, wind and solar, are totally dependent on steam power as a means to drive the generators – obviously it follows that water and heat are a basic necessity for such power stations to function.

Needless to say, we all appreciate that dirty coalfired power stations belong to another era and should all be replaced globally to reduce atmospheric pollution, especially those in countries such as China and India. Currently the modern gas-fired power station of the CCGT (combined-cycle gas turbine) variety, although using fossil fuel, is far much cleaner than its coal cousin, being much cheaper and quicker to build than the eye-watering cost of a nuclear plant.

Until realistic, eco-friendly means of generating electricity is available, our political representatives should be pushing for CCGT generation, coupled with a strategy of preheating the water for the necessary steam using geothermal energy.

This would greatly reduce fossil fuel usage to a minimum and thus the total scheme would be a very ecofriendly package, offering security of supply and with the end user enjoying far cheaper power bills.

Government is pushing heat pumps which employ heat from the air or ground, so why is it not pushing for geothermal energy for CCGT power stations? Perhaps it is beyond its thinking and understanding.

Looking toward the near future, the Government should be seriously considering orbital power stations, as apart from launching into orbit, would offer eco-friendly energy – please recognise we have had television from space for over 30 years, and now that rocket launch costs have come down the technology is no longer in the realms of science fiction, and we could be enjoying energy from space in about a decade – recognising that nuclear fusion is the holy grail of power generation as the late Professor Stephen Hawking observed.

Dave Haskell

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