Deployable fusion plasmas?

The enormous and urgent challenges to provide the world with sufficient and suitable low carbon energy has given new impetus to fusion research. Some very substantial programmes aimed at pilot or developmental fusion power plants are now underway, usually at a very rapid pace. This pace can challenge the traditional scientific method (decisions based on empirical evidence supported by scientific understanding), so these programmes accept significant or even large uncertainties in the plasma and other systems. However, it seems likely that the uncertainty appetite will be reduced for deployable fusion plants, e.g. those built and operated for energy utilities perhaps part of national energy policies. The pace may still be high with such plants potentially designed in parallel with the pilot plants yet with significant differences. It is worth considering the impact on plasma R D by asking a few questions about how one might arrive at a plasma which has the desired performance and can be adopted and integrated with sufficient confidence into a deployable plant. Some transitions in thinking and approach may be needed on the way..