While people seem to focus on solar and wind energy to move away from nuclear fission generated energy, a new power source, nuclear fusion, could actually be the most viable solution for the future. Unlike nuclear fission, which is highly radioactive and can as a byproduct make weapons-grade nuclear material available, nuclear fusion can provide a safe, clean energy source for future generations.
Fusion reactors exist now in experimental stages in the U.S. and in other places around the world, where scientists work on using sustained fusion reactions to make electricity.
Why is nuclear fusion attractive? First there is abundant fuel supply. The fusion process uses deuterium and tritium. Deuterium can be readily extracted from seawater, and tritium can be made in the reactor itself from lithium which is abundantly available in the earth’s crust. Next it is safe. The amount of fuel used in fusion is small compared to fission reactors. Most fusion reactors will create less radiation than the natural background radiation created by the sun.
Further it is clean. No fossil fuel type combustion occurs that pollutes the environment.
Lastly there is little nuclear waste created. Unlike fission reactors, fusion reactors do not produce high-level radioactive waste, so disposal will be less of a problem. The waste will not be of weapons-grade nuclear material. In the future scientists may even improve the process so that no radioactive waste is created. If you are interested in learning more about how nuclear fusion reactors work, go to science.howstuffworks.com/fusion-reactor.htm.
This could be a great opportunity for Vermont! Instead of focusing on unsightly windmill and solar panel farms, why don’t we give scientists an incentive to come to Vermont and work on research in this new and promising power source? Couldn’t we transform Vermont Yankee first into a fusion research facility and later make it the first commercially operated nuclear fusion reactor in our nation?
Raymond
Schenk
Fayston
Arno Noack
Waitsfield
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