Greenpeace and nuclear fusion?

Question

Why is greenpeace against research into the field of nuclear fusion derived power? This technology is DEFINITELY not impossible as our sun is living proof of such. They want to use the funding for the ITER(International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) project to build multiple hydroelectric power generators to provide power for approximately 7.5 million households, when this technology practically assures viable and abundant power when implemented. Yes, those hydroelectric power plants will help us now, but that is a short term solution to our power issues. Why think short term rather than providing a viable power source for our future generations?

Answer 1

Greenpeace is nothing but a bunch of attention seeking lunatics.  Their orginal operations we valid when they off fighting whalers and oil companies... but lately they've just been taking too much action without enough conversation.  They make outlandish statements against things they know nothing about, and in the process, destroy their credibility.

PETA is another bunch a morons like that too.

Now to discuss your thoughts on fusion power....

Fusion power is 100 years away from being able to produce electrcity commercially, however, we have to put in the R&D for that 100 years to get there.  I agree with you that taking that money to build hydro dams is idiotic.  Especially since hydro dams destroy forests and dislocate entire ecosystems through flooding... wonder why Greenpeace would think that was a better idea than a waste free completely SAFE thermonuclear reaction.

Fusion is inherantly safe because of this reason..

Fusion is carried out by heating deuterium to the point where it becomes plasma.  This plasma is contained in a vaccuum in a magnetic field.  Once the energy in the plasma reaches a high enough level, the particles begin to fuse into helium atoms.  Here's the problem.  Those helium atoms are very heavy and require a TON more energy to fuse with anything else.  They build up in the core and begin robbing the unfused deuterium of their energy, and shutting the chain reaction down.  To DATE the longest sustained fusion chain reaction has lasted about 6 seconds before being too flooded with waste products to continue.  ITER is HOPING for 10 second reactions.  Greenpeace is stupid.