If/when fusion energy is actually developed, what would most likely be the economic model?

My understand is that if we were to create a fusion process that it would be a plentiful amount, and would be a huge supply. So would energy

be cheaper or would it be priced as more expensive? Reasons?

 

~ee

Predicting economic models several decades ahead is tricky if not impossible, however, if today's economic model of nuclear power plants is any indicator, the road to clean energy will be thorny.

What energy requirements, with regards to consumption, will be in couple of decades?  

2 hours ago, Elite Engineer said:

If/when fusion energy is actually developed, what would most likely be the economic model?

It's quite a big project, so don't expect to put a reactor in your backyard; more likely the "economic" model will involve huge amounts of government.

 

2 hours ago, Elite Engineer said:

So would energy

be cheaper or would it be priced as more expensive? Reasons?

Depends on the safety-precautions.

But when government is involved, don't expect it to become cheaper.

 

Clean energy, demand for respectively, is difficult to enumerate.

Lets take a tree, for analogy, and lets try to enumerate value of it. Some would simply say that value of tree is what market offers for its wood, but there are other factors like: uptake of CO2, cooling down surroundings, anti erosive and wind breaking function, or even aesthetic and psychological considerations. In this sense, perhaps economic model is not the most important factor to consider. 

5 hours ago, Elite Engineer said:

If/when fusion energy is actually developed, what would most likely be the economic model?

My understand is that if we were to create a fusion process that it would be a plentiful amount, and would be a huge supply. So would energy

be cheaper or would it be priced as more expensive? Reasons?

 

~ee

It will have to be cheaper than the alternatives in order to be competitive in an open market.

It will be enough if it will be competitive on regulated market (either subsidized or by taxing non-clean sources) as argument for regulated market is relatively easy to make and matter of political consensus. Energy (production) is matter of national security and in this sense it does not, at least in the EU, need to compete on open market like for example chocolate. 

 

I wonder if there are any consumption of electricity predictions for several decades ahead. We already know, for example, that combustion engine cars are dead.

Edited September 30, 20178 yr by tuco