Scientists Planning To Set Up First Fusion Plant After Major Breakthrough

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Scientists Planning To Set Up First Fusion Plant
Photo Credit: Jason Laurea/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

After what is being touted as a "major breakthrough" in the fusion energy field, the US Department of Energy is trying to convert the tech into a usable form by setting up a pilot fusion plant.

 

Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory recently used the "world's largest and highest-energy laser system" to blast light into small capsules filled with deuterium-tritium fuel. They managed to churn out more energy than they put in, a first in the field of fusion energy.

 

$50 Million Grant To Fusion Developers

Scientists have been trying to achieve this since the 1950s. Experts believe the experiment "provides an existence proof that this is possible," Mark Hermann of Livermore told The New York Times.

The DOE will decide which developers will get a $50 million grant to set up a 50-megawatt fusion plant, reports E&E. According to a senior DOE official, the main aim is to "hopefully to enable a fusion pilot to operate in the early 2030s."

It's a unique pilot and encourages US firms to invest in developing technologies that could one day have fusion reactors powering the grid. Around 15 firms are looking for the grant, but it's unclear how many will receive funds.

Tip Of The Iceberg

Despite the breakthrough, scientists are required to do a lot of work to make it happen. Firstly, they are needed to determine the feasibility and scalability of systems similar to one at Livermore.

Livermore's breakthrough experiment is a testament that there's still a lot of enthusiasm around the idea of powering the grid using fusion reactors. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, and it still needs to be determined how feasible this idea could be.

If fusion power does become a reality, it can have a significant impact on the world. Not only will the technology be emissions-free, but it will also curb the chances of causing a nuclear meltdown. Despite the complications, experts believe the latest experiment could lay the groundwork for the novel technology and set high hopes for the future of fusion energy.

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