Introduction
The National Energy Policy states that fusion has the long-range potential to serve as an abundant and clean source of energy and recommends that the Department develop fusion. The next frontier in the quest for fusion power is a sustained, burning (or self-heated) plasma, and the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) concluded in September 2002 that the fusion program is technically and scientifically ready to proceed with a burning plasma experiment and has recommended joining the ongoing negotiations to construct the international burning plasma experiment, ITER.
The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences also endorsed this strategy in December 2002. Based in part on these recommendations, plus an assessment by the Office of Science of the cost estimate for the construction of ITER, the President decided in January 2003 that the U.S. should join the ITER negotiations.
The Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program leads the national research effort to advance plasma science, fusion science, and fusion technology-the knowledge base needed for an economically and environmentally attractive fusion energy source.
Fusion Energy Sciences
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