You get a sense of doubt or disbelief, from Freedman, in sources of renewable energy development. He feels that hydrogen powered cars will always be 20 years away, despite the claims of researchers and engineers. Instead, Freedman seams to have more faith in development of a laser-powered fusion energy power plants. It would cost as much as a nuclear power plant and work like a coal power plant, without producing toxic waste or emitting green house gases. The energy is produced by aiming 192 huge lasers at a giant spherical chamber, where in the center is a gold can of frozen hydrogen pellets. The pellets are heated to roughly 800 million degrees Fahrenheit,where the hydrogen pellets burst, producing energy that is used to heat up liquid salt. Mass amounts of steam is produced from this to turn turbines, creating electricity.
I feel this potentially new source of energy is a dream come true for environmentalists. This plant, as it seams, is as effective as a coal plant, yet it is as clean as wind or solar power. I feel two issues stand between making this a reality: cost and reliability. A plant like this would cost nearly ten billion dollars. I am not too sure if we can afford something as costly as this in our near future, especially with the current state our economy. This is new technology. Every new invention has small kinks and bumps that has to be ironed out with time. Our government would not invest fully in something that may or may not work. But of it all, let us hope for the best. An invention as advanced and effective as this would definitely aid in reducing carbon emissions and lowering cost of electricity. I hope to see this technology out in our world as soon as possible.
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