Nuclear Fusion Replication Achieved Multiple Times in Major Breakthrough
Livermore National Laboratory's successful tests bring us one step closer to a potential limitless source of clean energy, but significant challenges remain.
- Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California have successfully replicated a nuclear fusion reaction that releases more energy than it consumes, a process known as 'ignition', at least three times this year.
- The process involves firing nearly 200 lasers at a capsule of hydrogen, causing the atoms to fuse and release energy. The most successful test in July produced 3.88 megajoules of energy from an input of just over 2 megajoules.
- Nuclear fusion, unlike the nuclear fission currently used in power plants, does not produce long-lived radioactive waste, making it a potentially abundant source of clean energy.
- Despite these promising results, there are still significant technical challenges to overcome before fusion can be considered a viable power source, including the need to scale up the process and significantly reduce costs.
- The US Department of Energy recently announced a $42 million investment in a program to advance fusion energy, reflecting the growing international interest in this potential solution to the climate crisis.