Nuclear fusion in debate

2000/05/23 Roa Zubia, Guillermo - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Fisika

The German Green Party urges the government not to maintain the research program on nuclear fusion and not to participate in the international ITER program.

The aspect strategy was published last month. His suggestion was that nuclear research was developed exclusively in the field of security. However, he pointed out that saving in this way is more suitable in the field of renewable energies (solar panels, wind generators, etc. ).

The Green Party has already achieved an important goal. Germany will totally reject nuclear power production by 2019. This represents the political force of the party. Teams investigating nuclear fusion have had a strong reaction. In the sector they are clear that it is only the political movement of the Green Party. If a cold fusion is achieved it will be within fifty years. Party spokesman Hans Joseph Fell said there is a need to replace fossil fuels and that change cannot be based on the results of the merger.

International Plan

ITER is an international research program in plasma physics and nuclear fusion. In 1986, when it was launched, the project had a budget of 6.8 billion dollars. It was a European, Russian, American and Japanese project. After analyzing the cost and the future, the United States decided to eliminate the post. This has meant a budget paralysis of US$3.1 billion (EUR 3.5 billion) and a drastic reduction in the project.

The Green Party has also called on the government to act as the United States. However, in no case has the amount entered in the merger investigation in Germany been reduced. In addition, scientists in the sector expect other green targets to abandon pragmatism. For example, they intend to redesign the experimental Wendelstein-7X fusion reactor in East Germany. Thus, the reactor for the investigation of the physics of plasmas at low temperature and not with projects related to fusion.

The director of the IPP (Max Planck Institute for Physics Research in Plasmas), Alexander Bradshaw, sees the demands of the party absurd. He believes that action in the United States is not representative of the ITER project, since, in general, more and more money is being invested in merger research. Bradshaw is also surprised to be a supporter of the Green Party's leadership, especially in the areas of climate and basic science. He believes that the party does not need political pressure on the merger to move forward.

The behaviour of the German government in energy matters will depend on what Wissenschaftsrat has said. The Wissenschaftsrat council says that all energies must be left open. However, the Green Party proposal will be debated in the federal parliament.