There is a dream that humanity has been chasing for almost a century: nuclear fusion. Imagine a world where energy is as abundant as it is clean. Sounds awesome, right? But as in any great undertaking, there are obstacles, and they are not small.
The eternal promise of fusion
Nuclear fusion has long been considered the “Holy Grail” of clean energy. Imagine a world where energy is both abundant and sustainable. Recent experiments at National Ignition Facility (NIF) have marked a significant step forward, producing more energy than invested.
And it makes us dream: fusion plants could theoretically to produce almost 4 million times more energy compared to burning coal or oil, without any carbon emissions.
Before the dream of a fusion-powered future becomes reality, however, we face some very, very serious challenges.
The plasma challenge
“Step zero”, as he calls it Andrew Christlieb of the United States Department of Energy, is the creation of plasma. This mix of atomic nuclei and free electrons must produce more energy than is needed to power the reaction. And here begins the engineering questions that, according to Christlieb, will take at least 20 years to solve.
Nuclear fusion could be the key to a clean energy future, but there are still many unknowns.
Andrew Christlieb
Plasma is a mixture of two hydrogen isotopes: deuterium and tritium. And if deuterium is abundant, tritium is extremely rare and expensive, with a price that can reach up to $30.000 a gram. A significant financial challenge for any merger project.
Another obstacle is creating a magnetic containment device for the plasma, which must reach temperatures higher than the Sun, above 150 million degrees Celsius. Currently, no known material can contain such a hot plasma without being damaged.
Any other doubts?
Fusion is a very delicate reaction. Any disturbance can cause it to cool down and stop the process. This makes Chernobyl-like scenarios impossible, and that's a good thing. But it also means that maintaining a stable reaction is extremely difficult. And that's a bad thing.
Last question, and sorry dear "atomic lawyers" who crowd social media. Although tritium has a much shorter average “life” than other radioactive materials, it is notorious for leaking into the surrounding soil. This, again with your permission, dear lawyers, raises environmental concerns that need to be addressed and clarified.
Fusion, despite everything: uncertain but promising future
There are challenges to face, as you have seen, but optimism reigns supreme. With investments exceeding $6 billion and backing from tech giants like Bill Gates and Sam Altman, nuclear fusion could still be the key to a sustainable energy future.
With the right combination of innovation, investment and commitment, it could truly become the energy of the future, but perhaps it will take longer than we think.
