Chapter 978 - Controversies
Just after Jiang Chen disclosed that Future Group has mastered controllable nuclear fusion technology, the Internet was taken by storm. This news was published onto an official source on Weibo, and the comment section exploded.
“Nuclear fusion? How is this possible!”
“Do you know the central temperature of the nuclear fusion reaction? If you don’t know I will tell you! More than 20 million degrees Celsius! There is no material in the world that can withstand this temperature! I don’t know if the material exists in the solar system, but at least not on earth!”
“I don’t know much, but I have some common sense. Since the temperature is too high, can’t you turn down the fire? I think that our country’s researchers can start from this angle. Since Xin can come up with a solution, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“…Do you think the reactor is your gas stove?”
“Hahaha.”
In addition to these non-constructive replies, many well-known influencers also left their opinions, and expressed their views on the breakthrough of the two major technical problems; long- wireless power transmission and controllable nuclear fusion.
“I hope that another 10,000 SCI papers can be exchanged for controllable nuclear fusion. When we are still studying how to carve on bronze, the compatriots across the ocean have already picked up the hammer and started to wrought iron. I mean nothing more than just my amazement of the change happening in our generation” A well-known news commentator shared his amazement after reading the report.
“Because of the breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology, the Xin electricity price has dropped from 0.22 XND to 0.12 XND. I don’t know why the official source didn’t report this. I saw it in the international news of Future 1.0. It seems that the title of the Country of Hope can be moved across the Pacific Ocean. Xin’s housing price is not very expensive? Celestial Trade also recently announced the Mars Colonization Plan. People who can’t afford housing can consider this since there is no need to learn foreign languages there, haha.” A streamer named Shadow Devil on Godly Land bragged on his streaming channel.
Not only Hua was shocked by the technological progress of Future Group, but the UA across the ocean was also shocked.
In the evening scientific talk show aired by CBS, nuclear physics expert, Professor Omar Hareken of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory made a rare appearance. Using easy to understand language, he explained the difficulty of controllable nuclear fusion.
“As early as the 1950s, we made bold predictions that after 30 years, we can use nuclear fusion to generate electricity. But knowing that today, the word ’30 years later’ is still an optimistic estimate. As many people know, there is no material in the world that can withstand the high temperature of 20 million degrees. Even if there is, we have absolutely no way to use it.” In the interview, Professor Hareken explained.
“Just a few years ago, we were infinitely close to controllable nuclear fusion technology.”
“At our Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in the inertial confinement fusion, 192 lasers were used to heat and compress a fuel pellet until the nuclear fusion reaction took place, and the prototype of a small nuclear fusion power generation device is already in place. The device is now in Livermore, California. It’s like a metal-wrapped ball, but the reactants are smaller than a fingernail.”
Having said that, Professor Omar Hareken’s expression became quite melancholic.
They originally thought that in nuclear fusion technology, the only ones that matched them was Russia, and while Hua was catching up, they did not expect another private enterprise would suddenly emerge.
The host Anderson nodded seriously and then asked, “So, how far do you think the UA is from mastering controllable nuclear fusion technology?”
“It may be tomorrow, or it may be thirty years later.” Professor Hareken shook his head with a smile. “For science, unless you have crossed that door, you never know how many steps are left.”
When the public talked about the establishment of a Celestial Trade nuclear fusion power station trade, the top officials of various governments did not stop their actions.
The UA took the lead in raising the budget of three nuclear research institutes in the country and announced that its domestic research institutes have already made “major breakthroughs” in nuclear fusion projects. At the same time, Kerry, who was visiting Europe, negotiated with France to establish a submarine transmission cable from the west coast to Paris.
On the other hand, the Capitol had not forgotten to launch a diplomatic attack, obstructing the agreement on the construction of submarine cables Celestial Trade had signed with Australia and Nippon.
Obviously, the Hill government has already noticed that the submarine cable laid by Celestial Trade would have an incalculable impact on the UA diplomatic strategy.
Regardless of whether there is progress on controllably nuclear fusion, is there any ability to extract helium-3 only available on the Moon? The Hill government, which could no longer sit around, had begun to establish submarine cables connecting the UA and European power grids.
The Russian side had been unable to increase its budget for nuclear fusion projects because of the deteriorating economy in the country. Moreover, considering that even if they developed their own controllable nuclear fusion technology, they did not have the ability to build a colony on the moon to refine helium-3, they would ultimately have to purchase from Celestial Trade.
Russia simply sent a high-level diplomat to Xin along with the president of its own state power company. They discussed with Celestial Trade about the construction of a submarine cable from Ange to Vladivostok. Since this submarine cable was in the same direction as the submarine cable leading to Nippon, construction could be started simultaneously.
This time, Jiang Chen did not go personally, but the other party came to the table. The advantage was on Jiang Chen’s side.
After some discussion, Russia accepted 70% of the construction and maintenance costs of submarine cables, and Celestial Trade would also hire Russian-based companies to complete the construction of this submarine transmission cable.
As for Hua, the country’s attitude toward Celestial Trade making breakthroughs in nuclear fusion technology was somewhat ambiguous.
As a world factory, Hua’s annual power generation was also the first in the world. The magnificent Three Gorges Project was a miracle of hydropower projects in the history of mankind. Its power generation was equivalent to five Daya Bay nuclear power plants, but the cost was far lower than the expensive nuclear power.
The industrial and civil electricity prices in Hua were at a relatively low price. This was why Jiang Chen did not list Hua as the one of the first targets in establishing the global power grid plan. Because to the rich nation, his cheap electricity was not so attractive. Moreover, it was difficult for domestic enterprises to compete fairly with the colossal State Grid, let alone foreign companies.
Technology? Financial subsidies can achieve the same result.
Is there a need? Of course, there is a need, but it is not urgent.
Adhering to the tradition of making a fortune but keeping quiet, they were not vocal with their strategy of weather or not to increase the budget for the research of controllable nuclear fusion, or the establishment of a new space strategy.