  This paper is focused on three points: (1) Overcoming obstacles to tokamak
power plants may require a configuration modification as large as that of a
stellarator. (2) The demonstrated reliability of the computational design of
stellarators should change fusion strategy. (3) Deployment of carbon-free
energy sources is mandated by the thirty-year doubling of carbon dioxide
emissions. Carbon-free energy options must be developed and fully deployed
within a few doubling times. Unit size and cost of electricity are only
relevant in comparison to alternative worldwide energy solutions.
Intermittency, site specificity, waste management, and nuclear proliferation
make fusion attractive as the basis for a carbon-free energy system compared to
the alternatives. Nonetheless, fusion is not an option for deployment until a
power plant has successfully operated. A critical element in a minimal time and
risk program is the use of computational design as opposed to just
extrapolation. Only the stellarator has an empirical demonstration of the
reliable computational design through large changes in configuration properties
and scale. The computational design of stellarators should proceed while the
inventions necessary for a more tokamak-like power plant are sought. The cost
of computational design is extremely small, but adequate time is required for
the development of ideas that maximize attractiveness and minimize risk. Rapid
power-plant construction without many intermediate steps may seem risky, but
the price is small compared to the cost of trillions of dollars for each year's
delay in addressing carbon-dioxide emissions.
