Nuclear Fusion Technologies Might Create Unlimited, Emission-Free Power

As opposed to nuclear fission (the technology utilized in today’s nuclear electricity generation plants that is based on literally splitting atoms), nuclear fusion is the reaction when two light atomic nuclei (often described as “plasma,” which occurs when a gas is heated and some of its electrons change state and become a plasma containing ions, neutral atoms and electrons) fuse together, forming a heavier nucleus. That nucleus releases energy—a lot of it. Unfortunately, the process requires massive amounts of heat, specifically 100 million+ degrees Celsius. There are various ways to achieve this reaction, including intense heat from an array of powerful lasers that are focused on the substance to be fused, as well as superconducting, high-intensity magnetic fields. The Holy Grail in nuclear fusion research is to create a continuous reaction that generates significantly more power than the energy consumed in creating the heat or the magnetic field needed for the process. If this can be done efficiently and safely, some scientists think fusion power could eventually create limitless, emission-free energy, without any nuclear waste, essentially “harnessing the power of the stars.”

In early tests, fusion power generators consumed more energy than they created. However, that is changing, with developments including a 2022 breakthrough, and the long-term potential of major research facilities, including a long-awaited site that is now under construction, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Southern France (www.iter.org). To be operational as early as 2035 to 2040, at a cost of about $15 billion (up from an initial $11.7 billion), the reactor is a pilot project to demonstrate the feasibility of full-scale fusion power. Initial (early-stage) testing could begin as early as 2025.

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