Written By John Bradley
Fusion is the same process that powers the sun and is already being conducted in laboratories all over the world. Scientists have made exponential progress in fusion energy over the past few decades but progress was slowed by budget cuts in the 1990’s.
It has the potential to provide a nearly inexhaustible supply of energy. Fusion produces energy by fusing together two hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium, that are virtually inexhaustible. Deuterium comes from ocean water and tritium, though limited today, will be produced from lithium as a byproduct of the reaction. Fusion therefore holds the promise of complete energy security.
Fusion emits no pollutants or greenhouse gases. The only byproducts of the fusion process are helium and a fast neutron, which carries the heat to make steam, meaning there is none of the long-lived radioactive waste produced by conventional nuclear fission reactors.
Fusion does not rely upon a chain reaction so there is no chance of a runaway reaction that could lead to a meltdown. In the event of an equipment failure, the small amount of fuel available stops reacting instantly and the plant cools automatically.
The positive spillover effects of the U.S. fusion program are already being felt. Fusion scientists are making advancements in superconductors, super-power lasers, new high-efficiency semiconductor light sources, large and small-scale robotics, supercomputing and modelling.
For the Americans, despite pioneering fusion energy research, a lack of commitment risks ceding leadership to other countries. Although the National Ignition Facility currently leads the world in inertial fusion research, the magnetic fusion facilities in other countries have surpassed the technological capabilities of the best American labs.
The establishment of a high-tech industry will bring vast new streams of revenue to America’s leading industrial companies, creating thousands of new jobs. Creating a new industry will give America a “first mover advantage” that will increase our global competitiveness with economic implications for generations.
Cutting down the time needed to develop fusion energy will require a national commitment coupled with an accelerated push to commercialization.
