1 hour ago, dave2013 said:

I'll believe it when I see it - for real, not in a concept video.

So, you are keeping an open mind?

2 hours ago, dave2013 said:

I really admire your optimism

 

2 hours ago, dave2013 said:

Once again, you're basing all of your conclusions on what a small company marketing video and website tell you

 

Again... I'm not optimistic or pessimistic. I'm open to their failure or possible success. If you go back and look at my fist reply you will see my expression of incredulity at the time line. What I won't do is label them hoaxers without evidence.

Once again, you are accusing me of making all my conclusions of a marketing video when that's not correct. I'm not that stupid. You said that they had only "made a magnet" I pointed out to you that in reality, they had constructed 6 prototypes and were in the process of making a 7th. which is factual information.

The other information the company has released has been fed to the media worldwide, now of course, there's a non-zero chance of them lying through their back teeth, but given that Microsoft are involved, and they aren't stupid, I would assume that such things have been verified. I've also not come across any technical body that has come to the conclusion they are lying and perpetrators of some kind of con. So with that in mind, unless there's evidence to the contrary. I'll assume their claims to be plausible.  

 

2 hours ago, dave2013 said:

 They have built a "prototype", and they never say that the prototype has successfully produced electricity.

 

No, they have built six prototypes. The 6th doesn't generate electricity. Electricity generation is the goal of the reactor under construction now.

I will remain impartial, not pessimistic, nor optimistic and wait and see if their research bares fruit. What I wont do is jump to the conclusion that they are hoaxers after money like Noel did, without evidence. 

Edited May 20, 20233 yr by martin-w

23 minutes ago, Noel said:

Well you're perfect then.  

Cheers

 

No, logical. 

58 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

Microsoft must have some belief then, don't you think? They wouldn't enter into an agreement on a whim. 

MS needs to buy power from somewhere to operate.  Their agreement is to buy power IF available from Helion.  It's not like they're agreeing to buy something they don't need.  So they have literally nothing to lose in this, and it has some PR value at the least, even if there is no venture capital added to Helion.  What would REALLY have been potent was for MS to pony up a few billion dollars--this would put teeth into their "agreement".

50 minutes ago, martin-w said:

 

No, logical. 

Perfectly logical then it's a good start.

1 hour ago, Noel said:

So they have literally nothing to lose in this

If they need power and it's not available by 2028, then they have lost three years. If they could get the power from other suppliers, why don't they just do that? Why bother with a company which could very well fail? It seems to me that only Helion will benefit from the PR because they can claim that Microsoft has some belief in them.

“'We see these start-up companies coming in with a lot of enthusiasm, and a lot of their focus is on a particular part of the problem,' he says. It's highly unlikely that one of them will make fusion energy commercial before the big guns, and many will simply fold—as some start-ups always do. But Chapman believes others will become valuable suppliers of expertise and of specialized components such as magnets. 'Most of the small fusion companies will end up being part of the supply chain,' he says."

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-future-of-fusion-energy/ 

Edited May 20, 20233 yr by dmwalker

17 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

If they need power and it's not available by 2028, then they have lost three years. If they could get the power from other suppliers, why don't they just do that? Why bother with a company which could very well fail? It seems to me that only Helion will benefit from the PR because they can claim that Microsoft has some belief in them.

“'We see these start-up companies coming in with a lot of enthusiasm, and a lot of their focus is on a particular part of the problem,' he says. It's highly unlikely that one of them will make fusion energy commercial before the big guns, and many will simply fold—as some start-ups always do. But Chapman believes others will become valuable suppliers of expertise and of specialized components such as magnets. 'Most of the small fusion companies will end up being part of the supply chain,' he says."

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-future-of-fusion-energy/ 

I rest my case, from the SA article above, 

Most experts agree that we're unlikely to be able to generate large-scale energy from nuclear fusion before around 2050 (the cautious might add on another decade). 

6 minutes ago, Noel said:

Most experts agree that we're unlikely to be able to generate large-scale energy from nuclear fusion before around 2050 (the cautious might add on another decade). 

Would Helios's 50 megawatts be considered large scale?

6 hours ago, martin-w said:

David Sinclair will have perfected his sirtuin  longevity treatments by then and I will have paid to rejuvenate you.

Oh Lord!  I hope not.  I'm just about ready to go right now.

Noel

2 hours ago, dmwalker said:

Would Helios's 50 megawatts be considered large scale?

1MW would power around 750 average US homes or so.  So 50MW capacity & average output might supply 37,500 homes.  Not chump change but compared to nuclear, big hydro or even coal plants 50MW wouldn't be large scale.  Grand Coulee Dam has a capacity of almost 7,000MW.  It's one thing to aim for 50MW, and quite another to deliver by 2028.  I won't hold my breath and I'm sure MS isn't either.

5 hours ago, dmwalker said:

So, you are keeping an open mind?

Of course.  I always keep an open mind.

Being skeptical and cynical doesn't mean one can't have an open mind.  In my case it simply means that I'm cautious about what I believe and about what I expect.

Dave

Alright guys, this subject and others like it have been debated ad nauseam so many times now by the usual suspects. If you guys want to continue the debate, feel free to do it by DM’s.