Endorsements of HIF

30 Years of Endorsements

1. The 1979 Foster Committee reported to the Energy Research Advisory Board at its May 3, 1979, meeting saying, “…heavy ion accelerators have great promise as reactor candidates because of their inherently high efficiency, developed repetitive-pulse technology, and favorable theoretical predictions of target coupling.”

2. The Jason Report of January 1983 (JSR82-302) stated, “We conclude that the uncertainties in coupling physics for high-energy heavy ions are minimal.”

3. The National Academies of Sciences Report of March 1986 entitled, “Review of the Department of Energy’s Inertial Confinement Fusion Program” stated “Heavy ion beams may well be the best eventual driver for energy applications.”

4. The Fusion Policy Advisory Committee Report 1990 (Stever Panel) recommended parallel development of inertial and magnetic fusion with a budget level of about $30 million per year for HIF.

5. The 1993 Fusion Energy Advisory Committee (Davidson Panel) said, “We recognize the great opportunity for fusion development afforded the DOE by a modest heavy-ion driver program that leverages off the extensive target program being conducted by the Defense Department… .”

6. SCIENCE Magazine Letter VOL. 01/ 28/1994 Burton Richter, Director, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center  “heavy ion accelerators are still regarded as "the best bet for drivers." What is not said is that nearly 16 years after the first Foster panel report, the heavy ion program is still starved for funds, and we have made very little progress on "the best bet."

7. The 1996 FESAC (Sheffield) report said, “In agreement with previous reviews, we consider the heavy ion accelerator to be the most promising driver for energy applications.”

8. Physics Today Letter, June 2010 Page 58, Robert J. Burke, Chairman, Fusion Power Corporation.

9. Physics Today Letter, October 2010, Page 8, Martin Stickley, Director of Office of Laser Fusion at Energy R&D Administration (ERDA) in 1976-1979.

10. National Academy of Science Study Panel 2010. Stay Tuned!!