MadSci Network: Physics |
I've read that nuclear fusion could create enough energy for a lifetime with only 500 litres of water (from which deuterium is obtained), and 30 grams of lithium (needed for tritium). That sounds great, but if that amount is multiplied by 6 billion, a staggering 3000 billion litres of water would be needed per generation to create enough fusion energy for everyone on earth. As far as I know (correct if I'm wrong, I'm no expert) the water needed for nuclear fusion is not recycled, but instead, helium is produced. A lot of people are very enthousiastic about fusion, but wouldn't switching to fusion energy simply mean switching from one finite resource (fossil fuels) to another, far more important one; namely water?
Re: Wouldn't fusion energy deplete our water sources?
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