Fusion faces many serious technological challenges. At the same time, many diverse, potentially faster routes to fusion are not adequately supported. Here is a look at the core technical challenges that fusion has to overcome, as well as specific challenges for the different approaches.
On February 16-19, PPPL hosted the ICC Workshop (Innovative Confinement Concepts). This coincided with Bill Gates’ TED talk, in which he proposed nuclear fission innovations as a solution to the world energy+CO2 crisis. These two events can be juxtaposed with proactive implications for Fusion research strategy.
They say we might have fusion in 50 years. What’s the hold up? What are the barriers to developing fusion? There are many, but the most difficult ones are not so much technological as they are psychological. These barriers exist in the fusion research establishment as well as in the general public.
How did we measure a billion degrees in our Billion Degree Breakthrough? With no ordinary thermometer.
In May of 2001, Experiments at Texas A&M University confirmed predictions from Lerner theory that energies above 100 keV (equivalent to 1.1 billion degrees) can be achieved with the plasma focus. This was a big step taken towards environmentally safe, cheap, and unlimited energy.
