Research & Commercial Fusion 2023

Inertially confined fusion & economic viability

[TL;DR Fusion is always 30 years away, or is it finally here?]

As you can see fusion has none of the downsides of fission power plants, however fusion power plants simply do not exist yet. Once fusion reaches commercial viability an entirely new era will begin for humanity. The wonders of physics based innovations bring us the biggest leaps in our civilizations understanding and material progress (future post coming!).

Research Tokamaks

This is a device where we are essentially creating a mini star using an immense amount of magnetic confinement. To further fusion research we must build these bigger and bigger as the device scales effectively with size. The typical star relies on incredibly strong gravitational forces from the body’s sheer size.

STEP

Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production - UK Atomic Energy Authority

“STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) is an ambitious programme to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant, targeting 2040, and a path to commercial viability of fusion.”

ITER

International Nuclear Fusion Research and engineering megaproject

Almost 6 stories tall

Stellarators

“DOE (Department of Energy) Explains…Stellarators”

These are geometrically computer-optimized designs of a Tokamak, but people argue whether the trade offs are worth it. Such as difficulty of repair versus a conventional Tokamak.

Inertially Confined Fusion

Instead of magnetically containing large amounts of plasma which is super complex we can use sheer kinetic velocity to smash atoms into fusion.

National Ignition Facility - Deuterium Fusion With Lasers

Helion Energy

General Fusion

Zap Energy

First Light Fusion

Commercial Tokamaks

This is definitely decades away, at the minimum, nevertheless companies are starting to work on this.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Tokamak Energy

Commercial Viability

Referring to cost of fission reactors

Net Energy Gain

Initial Investment

Referring to material cost of fission reactors. Fusion reactors will utilize much more abundant materials like hydrogen or boron.

Fusions research process will cost us billions if not trillions of dollars to perfect, but once we do energy will essentially become free beyond that point.

Further Readings