CALIFORNIA – Scientists in California have made a breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology, producing more energy than consumed in a reaction for the first time.
Lasers were used to bombard hydrogen isotopes held in a superheated plasma state in order to fuse them into helium, releasing a neutron and carbon-free clean energy in the process. While the results represent a breakthrough, it’s still a long way to creating a viable technology, let alone delivering enough clean energy to help wean the world off fossil fuels and limit climate change.
Fusion’s potential market share will also be challenged by solar and wind power, both of which are cheaper and have mature supply chains. Their main drawback – intermittent generation – is being addressed by a rapidly growing battery storage industry.