Imagine an Energy Rich Future
The social and practical demands for renewable energy have accelerated research into different technologies. In the United States, 2019 investment in renewable energy exceeded $55.4 billion (Elegbede & Tippett, 2022). Over the past decade, there were more than 700 combined renewable energy project announcements in the United States and the United Kingdom. The attention has a solid economic basis. The total addressable market (TAM) for renewable energy was estimated at $8 trillion (DeLallo, 2022).
Some of these technologies have been manufactured and implemented around the world. Wind and solar photovoltaic generation systems are prime examples, and governments have deployed thousands of wind and solar farms. Electric vehicles are another contemporary example. Following the slow introduction of electric vehicles over the past decades, there has been a comparable surge in electric vehicles in the market recently. However, there is no consensus about the best renewable energy. Each has its drawbacks. This plan expects to break that stalemate by introducing a new, compact renewable energy source, the fusion module.
This plan addresses the introduction of the fusion module to specific industries for specific uses. Tangential services and technologies are not addressed in the sections below. While the plan acknowledges the positive and negative forces that will impact the introduction of fusion modules, the scope here will not provide solutions for leveraging or addressing those forces.
The industries addressed in this plan cover introducing fusion modules to transportation industries, specifically for use in various vehicles that use alternative forms of energy today. Introducing fusion modules to the public power generation industry is also within the considerations of this plan. Service and support for fusion modules are briefly covered.
Fusion modules are clean, compact, inexhaustible, and recyclable. Fusion is achieved with hydrogen isotopes (“Nuclear Fusion Power,” 2022). Hydrogen is a naturally occurring and clean substance. There are no emissions from the fusion modules. The fusion modules are compact and scalable. For example, a fusion module for powering an automobile would be approximately the size of a soda can. Since hydrogen naturally occurs everywhere in the world, an abundant source is constantly recreated in nature. Seawater is one of the common sources of hydrogen isotopes. Once the fusion module is exhausted, the components are 100% recyclable.
A limitation of the technology derives from an exhausted fusion module. The fusion process emanates minor, non-harmful radiation. Special handling procedures are required for removing and recycling the unit to comply with government regulations. Servicing a unit requires removing and replacing the unit. Special training will be needed to handle and recycle the old fusion modules properly.
Fusion modules fulfill a critical energy need. Humans rely on energy to survive. The course of history has demonstrated that existing sources of energy are depleting. Burning wood requires tree harvesting. Burning coal requires mining, which mars the landscape and exhausts limited deposits. Fossil fuels for combustion engines require drilling to tap oil. Similar to coal, there are limits to the oil deposits. While these energy sources can be processed cleanly, they are complex and expensive.
Natural gas is cleaner than petroleum or coal, but the source is also limited. Hydrogen and natural gas as fuels also require heavy tanks to keep the gases compressed. They are not as efficient as fusion modules for smaller applications, such as providing energy to vehicles.
Other public power sources, such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric plants, have unique challenges. Wind and solar farms mar natural landscapes, a problem shared with mining. Hydroelectric plants are not portable and require proximity to moving bodies of water. Power to areas where there is no water requires extensive high-power conduits.
A characteristic of all other sources of energy, whether renewable or not, is that the fuel is consumed in another process to create energy. In contrast, the fusion module creates energy directly through interacting particles. As such, the hydrogen isotope is not a fuel that is consumed and lost forever. Fusion modules are a unique source of continuous, direct energy that reduces space requirements (footprint), weight, and complexity, frequent limitations that plague applications using other fuel sources.
The aspects that are positive forces in favor of fusion modules are:
· Societal—a widespread acceptance of clean, renewable energy and increasing demand
· Governmental—largely pandering to their constituents and tactics of activists, legislators are actively supporting renewable energy sectors.
· Economical—from the consumer's standpoint, the fusion module is less than 1/10th the cost of other energy systems, promising cheaper product prices and zero refueling cost.
· Ethical—it is contemporarily vogue to reduce an individual carbon footprint to the extent that some high-profile personalities boast about it.
Fusion modules offer clean and renewable energy. Each module lasts approximately a decade. There is no need to continually purchase energy, as consumers would need to refuel current vehicles or pay high monthly electricity or heating bills. Replacement cost after a fusion module is expended to be no more than the cost of routine maintenance in a respective context.
Despite overwhelming positive aspects, some forces will act against fusion modules. Broad ramifications span multiple industries. Economic forces will potentially cause subterfuge. For example, there is no need for refueling infrastructure, such as gas stations or electric vehicle charging pedestals. Fusion modules provide limitless practical energy. Corporations and potentially employee unions will pressure government regulators to restrict fusion modules by generating fear and panic about job loss.
Auto manufacturers may also have mixed responses. Although fusion models will reduce the complexity of electronic cars and make those vehicles more environmentally appealing, there will also be a negative impact on service revenue.
This plan acknowledges the likelihood of public discourse that questions fusion module adoption as economic and governmental factors attempt to restrict the new technology in favor of preserving older industries.
A third challenge for the fusion module introduction is the educational aspect. There is a point in the lifecycle of a fusion module where it will have to be handled and treated by workers with special training. Those workers do not yet exist outside the manufacturing facility. A trained service infrastructure will need to be added in several sectors of business where fusion modules will be deployed.
The Delphi method will be used for this sociotechnical plan. Fusion modules require deep expertise. The modules themselves require physics experts as well as manufacturing experts. Designs for various industries also require experience and knowledge of those industries. For example, fusion modules targeted at electric vehicles will have different design criteria than modules targeted for aviation or public power generation. Groups representing requisite knowledge domains will be selected to form multiple Delphi teams.
The teams will be asked to complete multiple iterations of a questionnaire. Each questionnaire will focus on the introduction of energy alternatives, as well as fusion modules specifically, into those industries. The intent is to capture each industry's unique characteristics in the context of injecting physics-based technology (technically, nuclear science). The questionnaires will also challenge each industry Delphi team to identify positive and negative forces that experts expect to impact the fusion modules in the respective industry.
The results from the Delphi method will be analyzed individually but also correlated. A synthesis of data across the industry teams will provide general insight. For example, there should be an expectation that some governmental, societal, ethical, and economic factors identified in the different Delphi exercises would overlap. That synthesis will generate a coherent, comprehensive, and efficient strategy to leverage (or combat) forces.
The fusion modules are scalable units. A fusion module for a typical electric vehicle is approximately the size of a soda can, as depicted in Figure 1. The modules can be clustered for larger vehicles. A cargo truck would use four modules connected in series, depending on actual size and capacity. Figure 2 shows the fusion module with the outer sealed layer removed. The unit is rotated to expose the external connectors in the image.
.png "Figure 1. Fusion Module for Electric Vehicles") | |
| Figure 1. Fusion Module for Electric Vehicles |
The fusion modules are scalable units. A fusion module for a typical electric vehicle is approximately the size of a soda can, as depicted in Figure 1. The modules can be clustered for larger vehicles. A cargo truck would use four modules connected in series, depending on actual size and capacity. Figure 2 shows the fusion module with the outer sealed layer removed. The unit is rotated to expose the external connectors in the image.
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| Figure 2. Fusion Module Without Jacket, Bottom Up |
Figure 3 shows the inner construction of the fusion module. The core is comprised of stacks of tori where the fusion of particles occurs. Each torus has nodes to connect to the other tori to keep the hydrogen isotopes balanced through the system, thus avoiding hotspots. The core is wrapped with a collector sheet that captures the released energy. The entire unit is wrapped in insulating material.
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| Figure 3. Primary Core Construction |
The units are scaled and clustered with series connections for larger energy applications. For public power generation, fusion modules are approximately the size of a 55-gallon drum, as illustrated in Figure 4. Four fusion modules would be needed for typical use to power a city with a population of 100,000 residents and proportional businesses, including peak usage periods.
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| Figure 4. Fusion Modules in Public Power Generation for Clean Energy |
The analysis of the sociotechnical plan assumes that the Delphi teams actively reviewed iterations of the plan through the final version. Continuing to use the experts iteratively ensures the necessary degree of consistency with the intended concept. As new factors are uncovered through planning, the detail, and as conditions and forces change, the plan adapts to the changes. Evolving the plan ensures that the sociotechnical plan remains relevant.
Testing the fusion modules leading to innovation diffusion will require three test phases within the jurisdiction of the United States (U.S.):
· Bench testing in the laboratory
· Testing in controlled, non-production implementation prototypes
· Limited production testing
The fusion module variants will be tested for respective applications at the intended full scale. The testing facilities have different sections for the variants that can be installed. Though not in the scope of this plan, the testing facilities include likely surrounding circuitry that would constitute options in the respective fusion module applications.
Bench Testing
Electronic vehicles will have an interface with an option for on-off switching where the fusion module provides power directly to filtered circuits. Alternatively, electric vehicles can use existing battery circuitry. In this latter case, a switching circuit interfaces the fusion module to the batteries to keep them charged according to electric vehicle design specifications. Similarly, the use of fusion modules in power generation assumes that circuity is in place for balancing demand, supply, and infrastructure. Surges in demand are easily met with the fusion module technology but may overwhelm the capacity of the power infrastructure, such as power lines. Therefore, balancing the load is critical.
Pilot Testing
Results from bench testing will be analyzed to provide opportunities for improvement. The fusion modules will be piloted in limited production following the bench test analysis, including any product revision cycles. Different arrangements have been made for piloting fusion modules in different industries. Power generation piloting will occur in two stages. The first stage will be implementing the fusion modules to power the Fusion Industries facilities. Arrangements have been made to bring fusion modules online at facility power sources and to switch seamlessly between the traditional power utilities and the fusion modules.
For the second stage, arrangements have been made with two small communities near Fusion Technology facilities. The communities were selected primarily based on the precondition that there were already dedicated power generation facilities dedicated to those communities. This criterion allows pilot testing to be controlled to a specific geography with fixed, known consumer boundaries. As early stage one progress demonstrates success, retrofitting of traditional power facilities will begin, staggering the pilot stages. The retrofitting is to deploy and integrate necessary fusion module interfaces and switching networks, consistent with the facility bench test but at a larger production scale.
For vehicles, different test modes are available. Arrangements are in place for acquiring passenger test vehicles in partnership with existing car manufacturers. Plans include retrofitting specific Ford and Tesla electric vehicles with test switching circuitry, including a physical housing for the fusion module in the respective vehicle variants. These test vehicles will be offered to Fusion Industries employees as personal transportation for six months. During the pilot, the employees must agree to vehicle monitoring, including video inside the vehicle. Some data will be transmitted continuously to the test teams.
Additionally, employees will park the vehicles in designated company locations each morning. While the employees are working, all vehicle data will be extracted. Any adjustments needed will also be made to the vehicle, minimizing the disruption to the employees’ schedules.
Large vehicles that cannot be offered to employees will be tested through the vehicle manufacturer network. Tesla and Ford manufacture large transport vehicles and have fleet arrangements with various transportation companies. Pilot volunteers will be selected through those networks. Daily data downloading is impractical in those pilot cases, but the same provisions for continuous data transmission will apply. Complete data extraction and vehicle inspection will occur based on transportation schedules. When vehicles return to respective company facilities, arrangements allow for the pilot vehicles to be transferred to Fusion Industries for two days before the next cargo trip.
Other vehicle applications will be in sequence with the above vehicle pilot testing. Small aviation uses are testable in parallel. However, commercial aviation testing will have to conform to strict governmental guidelines. Partnerships with Boeing and Gulfstream will allow fusion module introduction into established test processes and provide opportunities for introducing the technology into the aviation and aerospace industries. Longer testing cycles will be planned with SpaceX as part of the partnership with Tesla. Introducing fusion modules for space applications is an exciting opportunity to revolutionize space travel and colonization due to the modules' size, weight, and power longevity characteristics. However, the space industry's planning, design, and testing cycles are much longer and require dedicated plans.
Testing cycles for vehicle applications, including small private aircraft, will run for six months. Pilot test teams will analyze the data for no more than six months, and a final report will be published after that testing. Power generation pilots will operate for 12 months. A similar analysis and reporting cycle will follow those pilot tests.
Consumer vehicle testing will include 100 test vehicles. At the end of testing, the employees will have the option to keep the test vehicles. An equivalent test base of transportation vehicles will also remain in service following the conclusion of pilot testing. The respective transportation companies will have the option for Fusion Industries to refit those vehicles to the original power sources. Any vehicles that remain in service with fusion modules will be evaluated ongoing by Fusion Industries in order to collect long-term metrics.
A minimum of five pilot communities will be selected for pilot testing, and up to ten may be selected for expanded testing and analysis. For example, it is attractive to test the sociotechnical impact of fusion modules for power generation in different areas of the country across different seasons to gain insight into consumer improvements during traditionally difficult weather patterns when anxiety about energy availability for heating or cooling is ordinarily high. Communities wishing to retain the fusion modules at the end of 12 months may do so, providing that Fusion Industries has ongoing access to data gathering and analysis for ten years.
Limited Production Testing
Fusion Industries expects pilot testing to create a pent-up demand in all sectors. However, the forces against the diffusion of innovation for fusion modules will also begin to surface. Production testing will be used as a means to bridge the gap, allowing regulators to negotiate an orderly transition.
As many production test instances as production allows will be installed in all sectors. Vehicle manufacturer partnerships will be expanded, and aviation partnerships will be accelerated. Within regulatory restrictions, foreign production testing will begin but is likely expected to be limited to the best U.S. trade allies.
The prognosis for positive results is favorable. The design of the fusion modules is such that there is the potential for easy retrofitting in appropriate applications, such as for retrofitting vehicles already explicitly designed to operate on electric power.
Electronic vehicle interest is expected to be high. With only 100 planned units, a lottery system (or partial lottery system) will likely be needed for selecting employees. The transportation industry may be less enthusiastic, but the transportation cost implications are expected to drive participation. The 100 test cases will be selected based on destination, average monthly distances, and frequency of use. High frequency with a mix of short and longer destination routes will provide an ideal mix of data.
The demand in communities to participate in the pilot will be rampant, especially in rural communities. Soaring utility costs are a concern across the nation. Smaller communities often have limitations, such as extreme climates, that can impact power. The idea of reliable energy at a very low comparable cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) offers new opportunities for relief to those communities. It is also expected that communities in foreign countries will clamor for testing as word of successful clean energy spreads. Those requests will be considered separately and opportunistically.
Results of bench testing are expected to conclude with little or no revelation. Pilot testing is also expected to be a huge success. As individuals and companies become accustomed to full capacity at highway speeds, without interruptions or cost for refueling, it is unlikely that any test vehicles will be returned or refit. Community tests are also expected to have similar success patterns after 12 months. Those communities and the states in which they are located can compare rates for inexhaustible supply. There will be high demand once the data demonstrates that fusion modules provide a fraction of the kWh cost of traditional power generation technologies. The pilot test period will also provide an opportunity for analyzing the total cost of ownership (TCO). The TCO will provide further justification for states to begin full-scale transition planning.
The expected success of pilot testing will create demand that will outpace production capacities. Given the forces (for and against) introducing a radically new energy source, Fusion Industries expects external pressure to prioritize supply, including production testing supply. In the name of “the greater good,” the U.S. government will likely try to control the selection and distribution of the supply. However, Fusion Industries will be prepared to combat all hostile forces and leverage positive ones.
Introducing fusion modules as a clean, inexhaustible, and cheap energy source is a paradigm shift for all industries. It also enables new industries, such as space colonization, because fusion modules provide fully portable energy.
Although minor and predictable, opposing forces with a financial interest in preventing proliferation will exploit the single limitation. In addition to greed, real and valid economic and educational provisions must be considered. The intent is to improve the lives of people. Destroying people one group of people in the process is not acceptable. Communities with a risk of adverse economic impact, such as where mining is prevalent, must receive priority for retraining and placement in better jobs that would replace jobs in industries that will be attrited. The transition plan must be thoughtful, orderly, and non-aggressive to give people time to adjust and minimize any potentially negative impact.
This plan's primary focus and concern is to restrict the negative impact of fusion module introduction. Fusion Industries considers the decimation of any local community to be unacceptable. For this reason, allocating a significant budget to this aspect is necessary. A separate Delphi team will be employed specifically for this purpose. It is expected to consider all scenarios and to plan for likely eventualities. The experts will also provide direct budgetary input. This area will have no budget reductions, as it is considered a necessary investment.
Furthermore, tight partnerships with communities will commence immediately following scenario planning. The Delphi team will identify communities likely to experience a negative impact. Those communities will be engaged early. Delphi team members will lead community discussions to build specific transition plans with community consensus.
Legal planning must start early. Aggressive plans should be implemented to solicit support and defend against unwarranted attacks. No government agency should be allowed to assume control of Fusion Industries or fusion module technology nor dictate supply and distribution.
The legal and political areas will receive equal attention and budget to the community transition planning and budget. It is necessary for success to combat all of the potential hostile forces that threaten to stifle the introduction of fusion modules. Leveraging multiple Delphi teams that address different economic and governmental aspects, early planning will address previous scenario planning aimed explicitly at combat scenario planning.
The mode of operation will be proactive and aggressive. It will target every threat vector identified in the negative force scenarios. Public opinion will also be stimulated to build a positive, raucous demand that squashes subterfuge expected from modern robber barons. The tempo of international discourse will be set and controlled as an ally.
Since initial testing will be conducted in the U.S., global elitists will likely try to squash fusion modules by pressuring European countries. This sociotechnical plan will leverage a degree of transparency and the promise for the future to mobilize foreign public opinion, preempting these attempts. Part of the plan will be community investment using profits. Fusion Industries is privately owned and funded. The endeavor is conducted entirely as a set-aside investment in the future. All profits for ten years will be reinvested in the plan and communities, including global clean energy deployment.
Fusion modules address public demand for increasing energy while addressing many societal concerns. The technology will end many debates, such as whether wind generators and wind farms are “clean” energy. New industries will spawn around fusion module technology, providing opportunities to replace and grow economies that the transition to a new energy source would otherwise impact. Finally, resolving energy problems will turn attention to exploration, invigorating space travel, colonization, and deep-sea research possibilities.
There are a few notable areas for immediate research. The first of these is to address the one limitation of fusion modules. Further research in nuclear fusion will provide a means to eliminate radiation, possibly even provide alternate isotope sources such as hydrogen alternatives.
Switch circuit technology will expand. Research is also needed to discover and develop the most flexible, quickest, and most reliable means to deploy fusion modules. The current sociotechnical plan does not consider production-scale switching technology that would allow fusion modules with or without battery banks. Fusion Industries has designed and plans to test with technology that provides these functions but recognizes there are more and likely better technologies to follow.
A third area of related research is in energy storage. It is not necessary to constantly generate power. There can be a balance between generating and storing energy. However, there needs to be a balance. Battery technology is expensive, short-lived, generates heat, and is not clean. Research into lighter and cleaner energy storage is needed. Solid-state batteries promise higher densities without the worries of dispensing heat that comes with lithium-ion technology. Silica is also a more prevalent substance. Research in silica-based solid-state batteries is an exciting prospect.
DeLallo, M. (2022, May 8). NextEra Energy sees an $8 trillion addressable market for renewables. The Motley Fool. https://www.fool.com/investing/2022/05/08/nextera-energy-sees-an-8-trillion-addressable-mark
Elegbede, O., & Tippett, A. (2022). Understanding the U.S. renewable energy market: A guide for international investors. United States Department of Commerce. https://www.trade.gov/selectusa-reports-and-publications?anchor=content-node-t14-field-lp-region-1-1
Nuclear fusion power. (2022). World Nuclear Association. https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/nuclear-fusion-power.aspx
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