'Holy Grail' of Clean Energy Was No Fluke
Lab says it's replicated fusion milestone at least 3 times
Researchers Confirm Fusion Breakthrough
Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California have confirmed that their achievement of a net energy gain in a fusion reaction was not a fluke. This breakthrough, known as ignition, was repeated at least three times in five experiments conducted this year. While two other attempts were not confirmed, they likely achieved ignition as well.
Fusion, unlike nuclear fission, is a clean energy source that does not produce radioactive waste. Although it may take many years to scale up the process, the lab's success has raised hopes for creating an unlimited source of clean energy.
Lab's Laser Beams Generate High Energy Yield
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has been using 192 laser beams to target a pellet of hydrogen fuel inside a diamond capsule. Housed in a gold cylinder, the lab's fusion reaction last year generated more energy than it took to power. In July, the reaction achieved its highest yield, releasing 3.88 megajoules of energy after the lasers delivered slightly over 2 megajoules.
The lab's fusion reaction creates higher temperatures than those found inside the sun, which is also powered by fusion. This progress marks a significant milestone in six decades of research and development.
Implications and Future Developments
Brian Appelbe, a research fellow from the Centre for Inertial Fusion Studies at Imperial College London, emphasizes the significance of replicating the fusion reaction. He states that it demonstrates the robustness of the process while enabling scientists to learn from each attempt. The next challenge will be maximizing the energy that can be obtained.
The Biden administration has recognized the importance of fusion energy and plans to build three new research centers to advance the technology. US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm expresses confidence that fusion energy can become a reality, calling it one of the greatest scientific and technological challenges of the 21st Century.
