ITER 261362 223353057 2008-07-03T18:32:13Z LuxNevada 7025836 /* Participants */ {{Future scientific facility}} '''ITER''' is an international [[tokamak]] ([[magnetic confinement fusion]]) research/engineering proposal for an experimental project that will help to make the transition from today's studies of [[plasma (physics)|plasma]] physics to future electricity-producing [[fusion power]] plants. It will build on research done with devices such as [[DIII-D]], [[EAST]], [[TFTR]], [[Joint European Torus]], [[JT-60]], and [[T-15]], and will be considerably larger than any of them. On [[November 21]], [[2006]], the seven [[ITER#Participants|participants]] formally agreed to fund the project.<ref>[http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn10633-green-light-for-nuclear-fusion-project.html Green light for nuclear fusion project - tech - 21 November 2006 - New Scientist Tech<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The program is anticipated to last for 30 years — 10 for construction, and 20 of operation — and cost approximately US$ 9.3 billion <ref>[http://www.iter.org/cost.htm ITER Resource Requirements]</ref>, which would make it one of the most expensive modern technoscientific [[megaproject]]s. It will be based in [[Cadarache]], [[France]]. It is technically ready to start construction and the first plasma operation is expected in [[2018]]. ITER will be designed to produce approximately 500 [[Megawatt|MW]] (500,000,000 [[watt]]s) of fusion power sustained for up to 400 seconds<ref>[http://www.iter.org/a/index_nav_4.htm The ITER Device<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> (compared to [[Joint European Torus|JET]]'s peak of 16 MW for less than a second) by the fusion of about 0.5 g of [[deuterium]]/[[tritium]] mixture in its approximately 840 m<sup>3</sup> reactor chamber. Although ITER is expected to produce net power in the form of heat in the amount 5-10 times more than the amount of energy consumed to heat up the plasma to fusion temperatures, the generated heat will not be used to generate any electricity. According to the ITER consortium, fusion power offers the potential of "environmentally benign, widely applicable and essentially inexhaustible"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iter.org/Benefits.htm |title=Advantages of fusion energy |publisher=iter.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://newenergytimes.com/PR/FusionAdvantages.htm |title=The Advantages of Fusion |publisher=newenergytimes.com}}</ref> [[electricity]], properties that they believe will be needed as world energy demands increase while simultaneously [[greenhouse gas]] emissions must be reduced,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iter.org/fr3.htm |title=Energy Demand |publisher=iter.org}}</ref> justifying the expensive research project. ''ITER'' was originally an [[acronym]] for '''''I'''nternational '''T'''hermonuclear '''E'''xperimental '''R'''eactor'', but that title was dropped due to the negative popular connotation of "[[thermonuclear]]," especially when in conjunction with "[[experiment]]al". "Iter" also means "journey", "direction" or "way" in [[Latin]]<ref>[http://catholic.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/lookup.pl?stem=iter&ending= Latin Word Lookup<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, and this double meaning reflects ITER's role in harnessing [[nuclear fusion]] as a peaceful power source. == Objectives == The official objective of ITER is to "demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy for peaceful purposes". ITER has a number of specific objectives, all concerned with developing a viable fusion power reactor: *To momentarily produce ten times more [[thermal energy]] from fusion heating than is supplied by auxiliary heating (a [[Fusion energy gain factor|''Q'' value]] of 10). *To produce a steady-state plasma with a [[Fusion energy gain factor|''Q'' value]] greater than 5. *To maintain a fusion pulse for up to eight minutes. *To ignite a 'burning' (self-sustaining) [[Plasma (physics)|plasma]]. *To develop technologies and processes needed for a fusion power plant — including [[superconducting magnet]]s and remote handling (maintenance by robot). *To verify [[tritium]] breeding concepts. *To refine neutron shield/heat conversion technology (most of energy in the D+T fusion reaction is released in the form of fast neutrons). ==Reactor overview== :''See also: [[nuclear fusion]]'' When [[deuterium]] and [[tritium]] fuse, two [[atomic nucleus|nuclei]] come together to form a [[helium]] nucleus (an [[alpha particle]]), and a high-energy [[neutron]]. :<math>{}^{2}_{1}\mbox{H} + {}^{3}_{1}\mbox{H} \rightarrow {}^{4}_{2}\mbox{He} + {}^{1}_{0}\mbox{n} + 17.6 \mbox{ MeV} </math> While in fact nearly all stable [[isotopes]] lighter on the [[periodic table]] than [[iron]] will fuse with some other isotope and release energy, [[deuterium]] and [[tritium]] are by far the most attractive for energy generation as they require the lowest activation energy (thus lowest temperature) to do so. All proto- and mid-life stars radiate enormous amounts of energy generated by fusion processes. Mass for mass, the deuterium-tritium fusion process releases roughly three times as much energy as uranium 235 fission, and millions of times more energy than a chemical reaction such as the burning of coal. It is the goal of a fusion power plant to harness this energy to produce electricity. The activation energy for fusion is so high because the [[proton]]s in each nucleus will tend to strongly repel one another, as they each have the same positive [[Elementary charge|charge]]. A [[heuristic]] for estimating reaction rates is that nuclei must be able to get within 100 [[femtometer]] (1 × 10<sup>−13</sup> meter) of each other, where the nuclei are increasingly likely to undergo [[quantum tunnelling]] past the [[electrostatic]] barrier and the turning point where the [[Nuclear force|strong nuclear force]] and the electrostatic force are equally balanced, allowing them to fuse. In ITER, this distance of approach is made possible by high temperatures and magnetic confinement. High [[temperatures]] give the nuclei enough energy to overcome their [[electrostatic repulsion]] (see [[Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution]]). For deuterium and tritium, the optimal reaction rates occur at temperatures on the order of 100,000,000 [[kelvin|K]]. The plasma is heated to a high temperature by [[ohmic heating]] (running a current through the plasma). Additional heating is applied using [[Neutral Beam Injection|neutral beam injection]] (which cross magnetic field lines without a net deflection and will not cause a large electromagnetic disruption) and [[radio frequency]] (RF) or [[microwave]] heating. At such high temperatures, particles have a vast [[kinetic energy]], and hence velocity. If unconfined, the particles will rapidly escape, taking the energy with them, cooling the plasma to the point where net energy is no longer produced. A successful reactor would need to contain the particles in a small enough volume for a long enough time for much of the plasma to fuse. In ITER and many other [[magnetic confinement]] reactors, the plasma, a gas of charged particles, is confined using magnetic fields. A charged particle moving through a [[magnetic field]] experiences a force perpendicular to the direction of travel, resulting in [[centripetal acceleration]], thereby confining it to move in a circle. A solid confinement vessel is also needed, both to shield the magnets and other equipment from high temperatures and energetic photons and particles, and to maintain a near-vacuum for the plasma to populate. The containment vessel is subjected to a barrage of very energetic particles, where electrons, ions, photons, alpha particles, and neutrons constantly bombard the surface and degrade the structure. The material must be designed to stand-up to this environment for long enough so that an entire powerplant would be economical. Tests of such materials will be carried out both at ITER and at [[IFMIF]] (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility). Once fusion has begun, high [[energy]] neutrons will radiate from the reactive regions of the plasma, crossing magnetic field lines easily due to charge neutrality (see [[neutron flux]]). Since it is the neutrons that receive the majority of the energy, they will be ITER's primary source of energy output. Ideally, alpha particles will expend their energy in the plasma, further heating it. Beyond the inner wall of the containment vessel one of several test blanket modules is to be placed. These modules are designed to slow and absorb neutrons in a reliable and efficient manner, limiting damage to the rest of the structure, and breeding tritium from lithium and the incoming neutrons for fuel. Energy absorbed from the fast neutrons is extracted and passed onto the primary coolant. This heat energy would then be used to power an electricity-generating turbine in a real power plant; however, in ITER this heat is not of scientific interest, and will be extracted and disposed of. ==History== {{clearright}} ITER began in 1985 as a collaboration between the [[European Union]] (through [[EURATOM]]), the [[United States|USA]], the then [[Soviet Union]] and [[Japan]]. Conceptual and engineering design phases led to an acceptable, detailed design in [[2001]], underpinned by US$650 million worth of research and development by the "ITER Parties" to establish its practical feasibility. These parties (with the [[Russian Federation]] replacing the Soviet Union and with the USA opting out of the project in 1999 and returning in 2003) were joined in negotiations on the future construction, operation and decommissioning of ITER by [[Canada]] (who then terminated their participation at the end of [[2003]]), the [[People's Republic of China]], and the [[Republic of Korea]]. [[India]] officially became part of ITER on [[6 December]] [[2005]]. The project is expected to cost about € 5 billion (US$7.6 billion) over its thirty year life {{Facts|date=April 2008}}. On [[28 June]] [[2005]], it was officially announced that ITER will be built in the [[European Union]] in Southern [[France]]. The negotiations that led to the decision ended in a compromise between the EU and Japan, in that Japan was promised 20 percent of the research staff on the French location of ITER, as well as the head of the administrative body of ITER. In addition, another research facility for the project will be built in Japan, and the European Union has agreed to contribute about 50% of the costs of this institution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200506280351.html |publisher=asahi.com |title=Former justice minister admits inappropriate fund reports}}</ref> On [[November 21]] [[2006]], an international consortium signed a formal agreement to build the reactor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6165932.stm |title=States sign nuclear energy pact |publisher=BBC news}}</ref> On [[September 24]], [[2007]], the [[People's Republic of China]] became the seventh party who had deposited the ITER Agreement to the [[IAEA]]. On [[October 24]], [[2007]], the ITER Agreement entered into force and the ITER Organization legally came into existence. ITER will run in parallel with a materials test facility, the [[International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility]] (IFMIF), which will develop materials suitable for use in the extreme conditions that will be found in future fusion power plants. Both of these will be followed by a demonstration power plant, [[DEMO]], which would generate electricity. DEMO would be the first to produce electric energy for commercial use. A "fast track" road-map to a commercial fusion power plant has been sketched out.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iter.org/Future-beyond.htm |title=Beyond ITER |publisher=iter.org}}</ref> This scenario, which assumes that ITER continues to demonstrate that the tokamak line of magnetic confinement is the most promising for power generation, anticipates a full-scale power plant coming on-line in [[2050]], potentially leading to a large-scale adoption of fusion power over the following thirty years. ==Location== [[Image:Cadarache (red dot) CIA World Factbook map.png|thumb|right|250px|Location of [[Cadarache]], [[France]], EU]] The process of selecting a location for ITER was long and drawn out. The most likely sites were [[Cadarache]] in [[Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur]], [[France]] and [[Rokkasho, Aomori|Rokkasho]], [[Aomori Prefecture|Aomori]], [[Japan]]. Additionally, [[Canada]] announced a bid for the site in [[Clarington]] in [[May 2001]], but withdrew from the race in 2003. [[Spain]] also offered a site at [[Vandellòs]] on [[17 April]] [[2002]], but the EU decided to concentrate its support solely behind the French site in late November 2003. From this point on, the choice was between France and Japan. On [[3 May]] [[2005]], the EU and Japan agreed to a process which would settle their dispute by July. At the final meeting in [[Moscow]] on [[28 June]] [[2005]], the participating parties agreed on the site in [[Cadarache]] in [[Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur]], [[France]]. Construction of the ITER complex is planned to begin in 2008, while assembly of the tokamak itself is scheduled to begin in the year 2011.<ref>http://www.iter.org/pics/constructionschedule.pdf</ref> ==Participants== Currently there are seven national and supranational parties participating in the ITER program: the [[European Union]] (EU), [[India]], [[Japan]], [[People's Republic of China]], [[Russia]], [[South Korea]], and the [[United States of America|USA]].<ref>http://www.iter.org Members of ITER</ref> [[Portugal]], a member of the EU, aims to include [[Brazil]] in the project via an agreement between the governments of both countries.<ref>[http://www.jornaldamidia.com.br/noticias/2007/04/01/Brasil/Portugal_quer_Brasil_em_megaproje.shtml Portugal quer Brasil em megaprojeto de fusão nuclear]</ref> [[Canada]] was previously a full member, but has since pulled out due to a lack of funding from the Federal government. The lack of funding also resulted in Canada withdrawing from its bid for the ITER site in 2003. It was announced that participants in the ITER will consider Kazakhstan's offer to join the program.<ref name="terra">{{cite web| url = http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/Kazakhstan_Offers_To_Join_International_Fusion_Power_Project_999.html | title = Kazakhstan Offers To Join International Fusion Power Project publisher = RIA Novosti | accessdate=2007-07-14}}</ref> == Funding == As it stands now, the proposed costs for ITER are € 5 billion for the construction, maintenance and the research connected with it during its lifetime. At the June 2005 conference in [[Moscow]] the participating members of the ITER cooperation agreed on the following division of funding contributions: 50% by the hosting member, the [[European Union]] and 10% by each non-hosting member.<ref>http://www.itercad.org/pr_ministers_jun05.html</ref> According to sources at the ITER meeting at Jeju, Korea, the six non-host partners will now contribute 6/11th of the total cost — a little over half — while EU will put in the rest. As for the industrial contribution, China, India, Korea, Russia, and the US will contribute 1/11th each, Japan 2/11th, and EU 4/11th.<ref>http://www.flonnet.com/fl2301/stories/20060127003709900.htm A nuclear leap, ''Frontline'', Vol 23, Iss 1, (Jan. 14 - 27, 2006)</ref> Although [[Japan]]'s financial contribution as a non-hosting member is 1/11th of the total, the EU agreed to grant it a special status so that Japan will provide for 2/11th of the research staff at Cadarache and be awarded 2/11th of the construction contracts, while the [[European Union]]'s staff and construction components contributions will be cut from 5/11th to 4/11th. In December 2007, the United States zeroed funding for ITER in fiscal year 2008.<ref>"[http://www.aps.org/about/pressreleases/funding-fy08.cfm APS Urges Congress and White House to Revisit Fiscal Year 2008 Science Funding in January"], ''American Physical Society'', 19 December 2007 (accessed 26 January 2008).</ref> ==Criticism== Bridget Woodman of [[Greenpeace]] said "Pursuing nuclear fusion and the ITER project is madness. Nuclear fusion has all the problems of nuclear power, including producing nuclear waste and the risks of a nuclear accident."<ref>http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/releases/ITERprojectFrance</ref> "Governments should not waste our money on a dangerous toy which will never deliver any useful energy," said Jan Vande Putte of [[Greenpeace International]]. "Instead, they should invest in [[renewable energy]] which is abundantly available, not in 2080 but today."<ref>[http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/releases/ITERprojectFrance Nuclear fusion reactor project in France: an expensive and senseless nuclear stupidity | Greenpeace International<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> French environmental groups said the project ITER, was "dangerous", "costly", and "not a job generator". A French association including about 700 anti-nuclear groups, [[Sortir du nucléaire]] (Get Out of Nuclear Energy), also claimed that ITER was a hazard because scientists did not yet know how to manipulate the high-energy [[deuterium]] and [[tritium]] [[hydrogen]] isotopes used in the fusion process.<ref>[http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1631650,00.html France Wins Nuclear Fusion Plant | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 28.06.2005<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The ITER project confronts numerous technically challenging issues. French physicist Sébastien Balibar, director of research at the [[CNRS]] said ''We say that we will put the sun into a box. The idea is pretty. The problem is, we don't know how to make the box''.<ref>[http://www.engr.wisc.edu/wiscengr/november06/2006novbox.shtml Thinking inside the box], Paul Kamenski, Dan Davenport, and Eric Hitt, ''Wisconsin Engineer'', November 2006. Accessed on line [[September 26]], [[2007]]</ref> <ref>[http://www.lps.ens.fr/~balibar/indexang.html Page WWW personnelle de [Sébastien BALIBAR&#93;<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A technical concern is that the 14 MeV neutrons produced by the fusion reactions will damage the materials from which the reactor is built.<ref>http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/6866/18462/00849850.pdf</ref> Research is in progress at [[IFMIF]] to determine how and/or if reactor walls can be designed to last long enough to make a commercial power plant economically viable in the presence of the intense neutron bombardment. The damage is primarily caused by high energy neutrons knocking atoms out of their normal position in the crystal lattice. A related problem for a future commercial fusion power plant is that the neutron bombardment will induce radioactivity in the reactor itself. Maintaining and decommissioning a commercial reactor may thus be difficult and expensive. Another problem is that superconducting magnets are damaged by neutron fluxes. [[Rebecca Harms]], Green/EFA member of the [[European Parliament]]'s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, said: "In the next 50 years nuclear fusion will neither tackle climate change nor guarantee the security of our energy supply." Arguing that the EU's energy research should be focused elsewhere, she said: "The Green/EFA group demands that these funds be spent instead on energy research that is relevant to the future. A major focus should now be put on renewable sources of energy." French Green party lawmaker [[Noël Mamère]] claims that more concrete efforts to fight present-day global warming will be neglected as a result of ITER: "This is not good news for the fight against the greenhouse effect because we're going to put ten billion euros towards a project that has a term of 30-50 years when we're not even sure it will be effective."<ref>[http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-141693-16&type=News Mixed reactions to ITER - EurActiv.com | EU - European Information on Science & Research<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A number of fusion researchers working on non-tokamak systems, such as [[Robert Bussard]] and [[Eric Lerner]], have been critical of ITER for diverting funding that they believe could be used for their potentially more reasonable and/or cost effective fusion power plant designs. <ref name="google-bussard">{{cite web | url = http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1996321846673788606 | title = Should Google Go Nuclear? Clean, cheap, nuclear power (no, really) | author = Dr. Robert Bussard (lecturer) | accessdate = 2007-12-23 | date = [[2006-11-09]] | format = [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] video | work = Google Tech Talks | publisher = [[Google]] }}</ref> <ref name="google-lerner">[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1518007279479871760&q=Google+tech+talks+lerner&pr=goog-sl Focus Fusion: The Fastest Route to Cheap, Clean Energy<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Criticisms levied often revolve around an unwillingness by ITER supporters to face up to potential problems (both technical and economic) due to the number of scientists' jobs that are on the line with tokamak research.<ref name="google-bussard"/> An informal overview of the last decade of work was presented at the 57th International Astronautical Congress in October 2006.<ref name="IAC2006">[http://www.aaar.org/meetings/IAC2006/index.htm 7th International Aerosol Conference<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ===Response to criticism=== Proponents believe that much of the ITER criticism is misleading and inaccurate, in particular the allegations of the experiment's "inherent danger." The stated goals for a commercial fusion power station design are that the amount of [[radioactive waste]] produced be hundreds of times less than that of a fission reactor, that it produce no long-lived radioactive waste, and that it be impossible for any fusion reactor to undergo a [[nuclear meltdown|large-scale runaway chain reaction]]. This is because direct contact with the walls of the reactor would contaminate the plasma, cooling it down immediately and stopping the fusion process. Besides which, the amount of fuel planned to be contained in a fusion reactor chamber (one half [[gram]] of deuterium/tritium fuel<ref>[http://www.iter.org/safety_process.htm How Safe is Fusion?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>) is only enough to sustain the reaction for an hour at maximum,<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/fs/2003/26004.htm The International Fusion Project (ITER)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> whereas a fission reactor usually contains several years' worth of fuel.<ref>http://www.stpnoc.com/FYI.htm 1/3 of fuel rods changed every 18 months</ref> In case of accident (or intentional act of terrorism) a fusion reactor releases far less radioactive pollution than an ordinary fission nuclear plant. Besides, tritium being lighter than air would rise up into stratosphere where it very soon dilutes to concentrations far below natural background radioactivity of air. Proponents note that large-scale fusion power — if it works — will be able to produce reliable electricity on demand and with virtually zero [[pollution]] (no gaseous CO<sub>2</sub> / SO<sub>2</sub> / NO<sub>x</sub> by-products are produced). According to researchers at a demonstration reactor in Japan, a fusion generator should be feasible in the 2030s and no later than the 2050s. Japan is pursuing its own research program with several operational facilities exploring different aspects of practicability.<ref>http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/0029-5515/45/2/004 Nucl. Fusion 45 (2005) 96–109 "Demonstration tokamak fusion power plant for early realization of net electric power generation"</ref> In the United States alone, electricity accounts for US$210 billion in annual sales.<ref>[http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/chg_str_fuel/html/frontintr.html DOE/EIA-0623 Challenges of Electric Power Industry Restructuring for Fuel Suppliers<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Asia's electricity sector attracted US$93 billion in private investment between 1990 and 1999.<ref>[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3650/is_200207/ai_n9093799 Worldwide power | Electric Perspectives | Find Articles at BNET.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> These figures take into account only current prices. With petroleum prices widely expected to rise, political pressure on carbon production, and steadily increasing demand, these figures will undoubtedly also rise. Proponents contend that an investment in research now should be viewed as an attempt to earn a far greater future return for the economy.{{Fact|date=April 2008}} Also, worldwide investment of less than US$1 billion per year into ITER is not incompatible with concurrent research into other methods of power generation.{{Fact|date=April 2008}} Contrary to criticism, proponents of ITER assert that there are significant employment benefits associated with the project. ITER will provide employment for hundreds of physicists, engineers, material scientists, construction workers and technicians in the short term, and if successful, will lead to a global industry of fusion-based power generation{{Fact|date=May 2007}}. Supporters of ITER emphasize that the only way to convincingly prove ideas for withstanding the intense neutron flux is to experimentally subject materials to that flux — one of the primary missions of ITER and the IFMIF,<ref>[http://www.iter.org/operation.htm Operation<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and both facilities will be of vital importance to the effort due to the differences in neutron power spectra between a real D-T burning plasma and the spectrum to be produced by IFMIF.<ref>[http://www.nndc.bnl.gov/proceedings/2004csewgusndp/tuesday/mbphysics/09_DSmith.pdf Nuclear Data for Helium Production in Fusion<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The purpose of ITER is to explore the scientific and engineering questions surrounding fusion power plants, such that it may be possible to build one intelligently in the future. It is nearly impossible to get satisfactory theoretical results regarding the properties of materials under an intense energetic neutron flux, and burning plasmas are expected to have quite different properties from externally heated plasmas.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} The point has been reached, according to supporters, where answering these questions about fusion reactors by experiment (via ITER) is an economical research investment, given the monumental potential benefit. Furthermore the main line of research—the tokamak—has been developed to the point that it is now possible to undertake the penultimate step in magnetic confinement plasma physics research—the investigation of ‘burning’ plasmas in which the vast majority of the heating is provided by the fusion event itself. A detailed engineering design, supported by substantial technology R&D, has been developed for a [[tokamak]] experiment which would explore burning [[plasma physics]] and integrate reactor relevant technology. In the tokamak research program, recent advances in controlling the internal configuration of the plasma have led to the achievement of substantially improved energy and pressure confinement in tokamaks—the so-called ‘advanced tokamak’ modes—which reduces the projected cost of electricity from tokamak reactors by a factor of two to a value only about 50% more than the projected cost of electricity from advanced light-water reactors. In parallel, progress in the development of advanced, low activation structural materials supports the promise of environmentally benign fusion reactors, and research into alternate confinement concepts is yielding promise of future improvements in confinement. <ref>http://fire.pppl.gov/fusion_critic_response_stacey.pdf</ref> Finally, supporters point out that other potential replacements to the current use of fossil fuel sources have environmental issues of their own. [[solar power|Solar]], [[wind power|wind]], and [[hydroelectricity|hydroelectric]] power all have a relatively low power output per square kilometer compared to ITER's successor [[DEMO]] which, at 500 MW,{{Fact|date=January 2008}} should have an energy density that exceeds even large fission power plants (but note that this number is to be taken with a grain of salt, since the DEMO article claims ITER puts out 500 MW and DEMO 2000 MW).<ref>[http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/at_a_glance/states/statesaz.html State Nuclear Industry - Arizona<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> If fusion ever becomes commercially viable, [[greenhouse gas]] emissions from electric power generation could be almost completely eliminated, with minimal environmental impact and without long-term nuclear waste issues. ==See also== {{portal|energy}} * [[DEMO]] * [[International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility]] * [[Fusion power]] * [[Nuclear power in France]] ==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}} ==External links== {{wikinews|France secures site for 10 billion euro nuclear fusion research project}} {{commonscat|ITER}} *[http://www.iter.org/ ITER home page], includes pictures and diagrams available to use for educational purposes :*[http://www.iter.org/pdfs/ITER_Design_Phase.pdf ITER Design] Thorough overview of entire project :*[http://www.iter.org/Future-beyond.htm Beyond ITER] The timescale to a commercial fusion power plant by 2050. :*[http://www.iter.org/reduced.htm ITER Technical Objectives] *[http://www.iter.gouv.fr/index.php French Government ITER page] *[http://www-fusion-magnetique.cea.fr/gb/index.html CEA ITER page] *[http://www.debatpublic-iter.org/ Commission particulière du débat public Projet ITER (French site)] *[http://www.efda.org/ EFDA home page] *[http://www.frascati.enea.it/ifmif/ IFMIF home page]. *[http://fire.pppl.gov FIRE home page], with current news on ITER and other burning plasma developments *[http://www.pppl.gov Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory] *[http://vmsstreamer1.fnal.gov/VMS_Site_03/Lectures/Colloquium/050428Smith/index.htm The Fast Track To Fusion Power] by Chris Llewellyn Smith of the UK Atomic Energy Authority *[http://www.iter-nl.nl ITER-NL] Netherlands ITER industry portal (in Dutch} *[http://www.climatechange.com.au/2005/06/28/building-a-star-on-earth-france-to-construct-nuclear-fusion-reactor/ Climate Change Chronicles article about France winning the ITER contract] *[http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/v38_1_05/article15.shtml ITER and ORNL] * [http://science.howstuffworks.com/fusion-reactor.htm Fusion reactors explained by HowStuffWorks] * [http://www.iterfan.org/ Unofficial ITER fan club] * [http://www.ipr.res.in/ IPR Institute for Plasma Research] *[http://flyvbjerg.plan.aau.dk/whatisamegaproject.php What is a megaproject?] {{fusion experiments}} {{coor title dms|43|41|15|N|5|45|42|E|type:city}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Iter}} [[Category:Nuclear research centers]] [[Category:Fusion power]] [[Category:Fusion reactors]] [[Category:Research projects]] [[Category:Orphan initialisms]] [[zh-min-nan:Kok-chè Jia̍t-hu̍t-chú Si̍t-giām Hoán-èng-lô͘]] [[bg:ITER]] [[ca:ITER]] [[cs:ITER]] [[da:ITER]] [[de:Internationaler Thermonuklearer Experimenteller Reaktor]] [[es:ITER]] [[eo:ITER]] [[fr:International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor]] [[ko:국제열핵융합실험로]] [[id:ITER]] [[it:ITER]] [[he:פרויקט איטר]] [[ka:საერთაშორისო ექსპერიმენტული თერმობირთვული რეაქტორი]] [[lt:ITER]] [[hu:ITER]] [[ml:തെര്‍മോന്യൂക്ലിയര്‍ റിയാക്റ്റര്‍]] [[nl:ITER]] [[ja:ITER]] [[no:ITER]] [[pl:ITER]] [[pt:ITER]] [[ru:Международный экспериментальный термоядерный реактор]] [[sk:ITER]] [[sl:ITER]] [[fi:ITER]] [[sv:ITER]] [[zh:国际热核聚变实验反应堆]]