Bringing Fusion to the U.S. Grid (2021) / Chapter Skim
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2 Role of the Pilot Plant on the Path to Commercialization
2 Role of the Pilot Plant on the Path to Commercialization
Pages 10-24
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From page 10... ...
As such, a fusion pilot plant will need to demonstrate characteristics that can be extrapolated with low uncertainty to a first-of-a-kind (FOAK) fusion power plant that will be competitive in the energy market.
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From page 11... ...
This framing presents a window for major investment that can be captured by fusion if it can be successfully demonstrated including showing economic attractiveness. To characterize this another way: lack of a market pull could pose a challenge to the future of a commercial fusion power plant unless a fusion pilot plant with unique attributes can be successfully built prior to 2050, encouraging the development of this technology.
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From page 12... ...
In the future, sources of low-carbon electricity generation that can be dispatched on demand at the request of power grid operators, known as firm dispatchable generation, will ring across all end-use be needed.sectors By 2050, this firm dispatchable future generation will be a competition between several forms of generation -- fission, natural gas with carbon capture, renewables and may fluctuate as a result paired of year-to-year withinstorage changes weather,and hydrogen trends or demand in long-term naturaltend gastogeneration, be driven by and fusion. s in energy efficiency.
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From page 13... ...
when needed, such as during severe weather events. The generation resources will include nuclear fission power plants capable of flexible operations, hydroelectric power plants with high capacity reservoirs, coal and natural gas plants with carbon capture, geothermal power, biomass and bio-gas fueled power plants, and nuclear fusion power plants.
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From page 14... ...
The number of system augmentation devices needed, such as FACTs devices, will be offset by the regional installation of firm low-carbon and non-carbon emission generation resources. In addition, the electric industry will need a diversity in baseload or firm low carbon and non-carbon emission energy resources to offset any disruption in future fuel supplies or technology threats (e.g., cyber attacks)
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From page 15... ...
The future risk to generation from nation-states enhances the national security need for resiliency of generation types as these threats now include supply chain disruptions, electromagnetic threats, and cyber threats. Recommendation: Electricity generation market policy and incentives should encourage a diversity of energy sources from various firm low-carbon emission generation resources including non-carbon emission fusion, in the future for baseload as part of a national strategy to ensure national security and the lowest cost path to a low-carbon emission future.
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From page 16... ...
This will provide confidence to key decision makers, such as the boards of directors of IOUs or public utility commissions that costs will not greatly exceed estimates prior to the start of the first commercial fusion projects. In the 2020 Annual Technology Baseline report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
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From page 17... ...
Nonetheless, the pilot plant must prove that the technology is viable and forecast economics for the commercial plant to demonstrate that the leveled cost of electricity is comparable with other available generation types, which will enable the marketplace to establish the role of fusion in meeting the energy needs of the nation. While it is not necessary for a fusion pilot plant to demonstrate all aspects of a FOAK fusion power plant, it must enable an understanding of material issues,
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From page 18... ...
by 2050 in an effort to bring renewable energy, such as mid continent wind generation, to the eastern seaboard or other regions in the United States.11 This will further encumber the existing infrastructure so that some trans mission corridors may not allow for the easy siting of dispatchable firm generation due to the inability to obtain the needed export transmission lines. The cost to build a fusion pilot plant or a FOAK fusion power plant will be reduced if placement can be made to leverage existing infrastructure.
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From page 19... ...
Therefore, unique value is possible if a FOAK fusion power plant exhibits capabilities such as: • Dispatchability • Load following • Onsite fuel supplies for long-duration events (>4 hours) • Voltage or VAR support in regions • Inertia for frequency response • Sufficient fault current for protective equipment to function Another requirement that will be presented over this period is the need for more blackstart capability.12,13 The electric utility industry must have recovery plans to ensure that it can recover from major disturbances that cause the network to go completely down, including high-impact, low-probability events such as cyberattacks or electromagnetic pulse (EMP)
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From page 20... ...
MARKETPLACE CONSIDERATIONS Investor owned public utilities have an obligation to serve the public in a man ner that is supported by the public they serve. It is therefore important that IOUs have public acceptance for fusion energy prior to engaging in support of a fusion pilot plant or before they can pursue financial investment in a FOAK fusion power plant.
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From page 21... ...
This FOAK fusion power plant will need to compete with other firm lowcarbon and non-carbon emission sources of generation, and thus the estimated cost of a future plant must be competitive to firm generation sources at that time. State and federal government support of utility involvement in the cost to build a fusion pilot plant will depend on many factors, such as public support of this technology, potential economic benefits to the region or state for future manufacturing, construction or technical jobs, or unique benefits that this technology may provide for the electric grid.
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From page 22... ...
Fusion will not be unique in providing non-carbon emission energy but will be one of a handful of generation technologies during this period that may have significant national security benefits, such as an onsite fuel source, energy fuel diversity, firm non-carbon emission generation, potential ability to load follow, dispatchability, grid support functions, and a potential to aid in the blackstart13 of the electric grid following a major disturbance. There is also a foreign policy benefit for the United States to be the first country to deploy cost-effective fusion power as countries such as China and Russia are enhancing their global influence through export of fission power reactors.
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From page 23... ...
Fusion Pilot Plant on October 7, 2020, Referencing data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) model on AMPERE Public Database website, https://tntcat.
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From page 24... ...
14. North American Electric Reliability Corporation, September 2019, "NERC Reliability Guidelines: Improvement to Interconnection Requirements for BPS-Connected Inverter Based R esources," https://www.nerc.com/comm/PC_Reliability_Guidelines_DL/Reliability_ Guideline_IBR_Interconnection_Requirements_Improvements.pdf.
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