A rationale for large inertial fusion plants producing hydrogen for powering low emission vehicles

Summary form only given. The rationale for hydrogen production for IFE, (inertial fusion energy) stems from IFE's particularly strong economy-of-scale, and from an opportunity to exploit direct conversion of high-temperature plasma and vapor naturally produced in inertial fusion microexplosions. The strong economy-of-scale expected for IFE is a result of the fusion gain (fusion yield/driver energy) having a threshold with driver energy, leading to a minimum driver cost, so cost per unit power decreases with pulse repetition rate and with the number of reactors sharing on driver. Above average power outputs large enough that a steam cycle balance-of-plant (BoP) cost would dominate over the driver cost, further reductions in the cost of electricity and associated $/GJ of hydrogen produced by electrolysis can be realized if plasma direct conversion could be used which has lower BoP cost per thermal watt and at least comparable efficiency, compared to conventional steam cycles.