Cooperation and Competition on the Path to Fusion Energy A Report (1984) / Chapter Skim
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SUMMARY
Pages 1-12
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From page 1... ...
The most important inferences from the many facts and viewpoints examined by the committee may be expressed in six specific conclusions: o On balance, there are substantial potential benefits of large-scale international collaboration in the development of fusion energy. o A window in time for large-scale international collaboration is now open.
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From page 2... ...
The four magnetic fusion programs are of comparable magnitude and are at a comparable stage of development. In each of these programs a "scientific feasibility" experiment based on the most advanced magnetic confinement concept -- the tokamak -- either has recently started operation (in the United States and the EC)
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From page 3... ...
The EC fusion program is carried out in the various national fusion laboratories of its member countries and is partly funded directly by each nation and partly funded by the EC, with only minor participation by European universities. Japan The Japanese fusion program is relatively newer than the other three major programs, but it is moving rapidly toward full parity.
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From page 4... ...
program, although not so broad. The university fusion program, under the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, has funding comparable to the JAERI base program and conducts basic scientific and technological research that appears even broader than either the EC or U.S.
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From page 5... ...
TECHNICAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED COOPERATION As the major fusion programs progress toward larger experiments and expanded technology development, there will be opportunities for increased benefit through enhanced international cooperation. In the following discussion, the term "cooperation" is used as a general one, in the sense of acting with others for mutual benefit on either a small or a large scale.
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From page 6... ...
Experiments like these offer technical opportunities for useful international cooperation, in preparation for collaboration on the larger devices. Fusion Technology The United States should explore the possibility of joining with Japan and the EC in a three-way effort to identify what information and what new fusion technology facilities will be needed and when, specify the design requirements and experimental programs for such facilities, and identify how the cost and responsibility for constructing and operating these facilities might be distributed equitably among the parties.
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From page 7... ...
Greatly increased resources are required to maintain the breadth and depth of the national fusion programs while moving forward to explore a burning plasma in a major next-step experiment and to develop fusion technology. There seems to be an increasing body of opinion among responsible leaders in government and in the fusion programs in the United States, the EC, Japan, and the USSR that a cooperative international pooling of national resources may be required in the present economic environment.
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From page 8... ...
The fusion working group has identified the importance and magnitude of the effort of developing fusion and has concluded that a substantial increase in international cooperation is justified. The extent to which any national or multinational fusion program will be willing to rely on international cooperation rather than its own strength and direction is a policy issue, the resolution of which may place constraints upon such cooperation.
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From page 9... ...
fusion program and a corresponding plan to meet those goals not only would be helpful for evaluating proposed major international cooperative projects but also would improve perceptions of the U.S. commitment.
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Intergovernmental agreements are much easier to put into place because they can be negotiated at lower governmental levels. Existing international organizations, such as IAEA and IEA, offer auspices under which more extensive international cooperation could be carried out without the necessity of new implementing agreements.
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From page 11... ...
Although the committee did not formally analyze the situation in this context, it still forms a useful setting for an overall conclusion, derivable from some of the individual ones stated earlier: o For the United States at this time, large-scale international collaboration is preferable to a mainly domestic program, which would have to command substantial additional resources for the competitive pursuit of fusion energy development or run the risk of forfeiture of equality with other world programs. Given this overall conclusion, two major recommendations follow: o The first priority should be the establishment of a clear set of policies and objectives and a considered program plan for future U.S.
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From page 12... ...
This joint planning activity would have to involve groups at the program leadership level and at the technical leadership level, in appropriate roles, and would have to be a continuing activity over many years. Quite plainly, an opportunity is open for leadership of a cooperative approach to a new technology of global significance.
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