Some guy at Google likes this

[rschaffer8]

For what its worth, Larry Page, co-founder of Google, made a favorable comment about this presentation on Feb21.
" I loved meeting Charles Chase from Lockheed Skunk Works because he wants to change the world and he has a plan. His dream is about building a compact fusion reactor (that would fit it on the back of a truck) which is capable of generating 100MW of electricity - enough to power a small city. Charles thinks he could have a prototype in 5 years and a fully engineered plant in 10 years. This would be capable of meeting all electricity demands globally by 2050. All with virtually zero emissions. An exciting example of how 10X thinking could make the world a better place."

https://plus.google.com/+LarryPage/posts

[Netmaker]

A shame he couldn't see his way to supporting Dr. Bussard over six years ago.

[paperburn1]

A shame he couldn't see his way to supporting Dr. Bussard over six years ago.

six years ago we were at "i have a dream" and WB-6 A last-minute test of WB-6 ended prematurely when the insulation on one of the hand-wound electromagnets burned through, destroying the device. With no more funding during 2006 and partly 2007, the project's military-owned equipment was transferred across town to SpaceDev Things were not looking good at all until WB-7 and all the sudden somebody said that weird look at this and we were off to the races.

[Netmaker]

It's still a shame that he hasn't provided ANY money (to my knowledge) towards the development of the Polywell given the potential benefits overall and direct benefits to Google given the huge power requirements of their data centers and of the Internet in-toto that they depend upon for their revenue.

The same goes for Sergei Brin.

They're even set up as a utility to sell any excess power that they generate:
http://www.wired.com/business/2010/02/g ... a-utility/

I greatly admire Google, Page and Brin for what they've accomplished and how the company is run. I do feel that they have a unique opportunity given their wealth, intelligence and interests to make an even greater positive impact on the world and continue to rake in even more money (rightfully earned) as a result.

[paperburn1]

You have a point, after the most recent anouncments you think they would have jumped on board.

[MSimon]

A shame he couldn't see his way to supporting Dr. Bussard over six years ago.

six years ago we were at "i have a dream" and WB-6 A last-minute test of WB-6 ended prematurely when the insulation on one of the hand-wound electromagnets burned through, destroying the device. With no more funding during 2006 and partly 2007, the project's military-owned equipment was transferred across town to SpaceDev Things were not looking good at all until WB-7 and all the sudden somebody said that weird look at this and we were off to the races.

I was there then. (Nov 2006) it was a long slog on the 'net promoting Polywell every day while learning the technology. Eventually when it got funded (a few months before Dr. B died) we were all happy about it. Dr. B. in fact thanked those of us doing the promotion. Me, Tall Dave, and Tom Ligon in particular. I was honored to have a few minutes to ask Dr. B some questions on a blog radio show before he passed.

What ever happens we made the field of small fusion reputable. I'm on to other things but I'm willing to go back into fusion if I get a call.

Note: once the Navy got in that pretty much excluded everyone else. And I have personal knowledge of others trying. The difficulty was that EMC2 would have to have given up ownership for that to happen. (the usual VC terms) Something they were unwilling to do.

[ladajo]

once the Navy got in

You mean, "Got back in", I think. They had sunk quite a bit of money up to the pull back. If Bussard had not had the arcing epiphany, identifying the conformal cans and clearing (e-) travel paths, I do not htink it would have gone much further via the navy. Granted he did a lot of good physics work up to that point regarding well creation and stability, it was not enough. They had a budget, and the navy pulled it.

[MSimon]

once the Navy got in

You mean, "Got back in", I think.

Yes.

[TallDave]

I can understand their hesitancy, there are some fundamental questions that cannot be answered from the publicly available data. And EMC2 probably prefers to work with the Navy. If the Navy decides to cut EMC2 loose, things might be different. As it stands, we don't really know how WB-8 is faring except some vague (if promising) comments about "excellent confinement" and things working to expectations.

[Aero]

If/when the Navy cuts EMC2 loose, don't we expect to see some publications from EMC2? Surely the work has advanced the understanding of certain plasma physical phenomenon worthy of a paper or two.

[MSimon]

If/when the Navy cuts EMC2 loose, don't we expect to see some publications from EMC2? Surely the work has advanced the understanding of certain plasma physical phenomenon worthy of a paper or two.

In theory Fusion Research is supposed to be open. In practice I expect essential details will be left out until a working reactor has been replicated by a number of parties.

[KitemanSA]

There is "classified" and there is "proprietary". By treaty, fusion info can't be classified. Ain't nothin that says it can't be proprietary.