Evaluating the economic feasibility of K-DEMO fusion power plants through cost analysis of blanket and BoP

Hokyu Moon, Namkyu Lee and Seok Jun Moon

Energy, 2025, vol. 326, issue C

Abstract: As the world moves toward carbon neutrality, nuclear fusion power plants, such as the K-DEMO models, offer a promising solution for providing clean, sustainable energy. However, due to the technical challenges involved, a thorough evaluation of economic feasibility is necessary to realize these power plants. While economic analyses have been conducted for conceptual models from various countries, there is limited literature on the economic feasibility of K-DEMO models. In this study, we present a cost assessment for K-DEMO models, focusing on the blanket and cost of electricity (COE) based on key parameters such as net electric power, neutron wall load, multiplication factor, and thermal efficiency. A reliable calculation platform is used to evaluate how these parameters affect geometrical factors, component sizes, fusion reactor component costs, and COE. The results show that improving thermal efficiency decreases the required plasma power, leading to smaller plant sizes and reduced costs. This underscores the need to optimize the balance of plant (BoP) for energy conversion to minimize COE and enhance operational feasibility. Additionally, our analysis indicates that larger plant sizes result in lower COE, and higher thermal efficiency is crucial for the economic viability of nuclear fusion power plants. This research provides valuable insights into the design of cost-effective nuclear fusion power plants, supporting the transition to carbon-neutral energy.

Keywords: Carbon neutral; Nuclear fusion; Cost analysis; Balance of plant; Thermal efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:326:y:2025:i:c:s036054422501967x

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.136325

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