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Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough Paves the Way to Limitless, Cheap Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy is rumored to announce a breakthrough in nuclear fusion on Tuesday. Scientists produced a fusion reaction that created a net energy gain for the first time, showing that making clean, limitless energy is achievable.
Laser is used to initiate the fusion reaction 6 photos
Photo: John Jett and Jake Long/LLNL
NIF’s target chamber is where the magic happensRendering of the inside of NIF’s target chamberJET Lab FusionGeneral Atomics Fusion Pilot Plant conceptLaser is used to initiate the fusion reaction
Nuclear energy is well known to humankind and used for various purposes to unleash huge amounts of energy. Until now, atomic fission was used, that is, splitting the atoms to generate heat. This is a well-understood process with many advantages, and it is used across the globe to generate electricity, power vessels, and heat homes. Although carbon-free, nuclear fission poses serious waste-disposal problems because nuclear wastes are highly radioactive. That’s why accidents like Fukushima or Chornobyl can be quite deadly.

Then, there’s nuclear fusion, which fuses two atoms to generate energy. Unlike fission, fusion doesn’t have a radioactive problem and promises to be the holy grail of energy generation. Billions of dollars went into nuclear fusion research, although little progress was recorded. If you like sunbathing or use solar panels to generate electricity, know that the sun generates light and heat thanks to nuclear fusion.

Nevertheless, besides the sun, we know of no other example of a working fusion reactor. Scientists have tried various ways to initiate a fusion reaction, but that would not last very long. Moreover, it always required more energy than it generated, making some people believe that fusion energy is impossible. Replicating the nuclear reaction through which energy is created on the sun doesn’t seem possible on Earth, at least not with our current resources and knowledge.

NIF’s target chamber is where the magic happens
Photo: Jason Laurea/LLNL
And yet, for the first time, U.S. scientists have managed to produce a fusion nuclear reaction that generated more energy than it consumed. The breakthrough doesn’t mean that we will see fusion reactors popping up all over the place soon, but that it is at least possible to generate energy this way. Many issues remain to be solved before the new energy source can be used for commercial energy generation.

The discovery was made at the National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, and it was first reported by the Financial Times on Sunday. Two people familiar with the research confirmed the breakthrough for the Washington Post, although neither the Department of Energy nor the lab wanted to comment. Nevertheless, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is expected to announce the breakthrough on Tuesday.

To create the net energy gain, scientists used one of the largest lasers in the world, as the energy requirements to initiate the reaction are immense. The laser beams were used to heat and compress a target pellet to the necessary conditions for nuclear fusion to occur. Engineers have yet to devise a solution to turn the reaction into electricity affordably, and scaling up the reactors for commercial use would require materials that are difficult to produce. At the same time, the reaction generates neutrons, which put tremendous stress on the equipment, risking destroying it.

Rendering of the inside of NIF’s target chamber
Photo: LLNL
In September, Elon Musk dismissed the idea of fusion energy as being too expensive and cumbersome to make sense. “Fusion would be expensive energy, given difficulty of obtaining and transporting source fuel, plus maintaining the reactor,” wrote Musk on his favorite social media platform. “Far better to use the Sun – thermonuclear reactor with no need to refuel or service.”

We’re still waiting for tomorrow’s announcement and the implication of the fusion breakthrough. While it doesn’t mean there’d be tangible benefits anytime soon, we expect the Biden administration to hail the achievement. The Inflation Reduction Act provides billions of dollars in nuclear fusion research, and the upcoming DoE announcement is great for validating the administration’s climate and energy agenda.
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About the author: Cristian Agatie
Cristian Agatie profile photo

After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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