Invited TalkFusion Energy - Lab to Grid Commercial Development and Climate Ramifications

In recent decades, the social and political climate has created a pressing demand for alternative energy sources to address several challenges facing the world and help solve one of the most climacteric crises of this era: the climate change. It is noteworthy that all energy systems are bound to have climate ramifications. Fusion offers several advantages over traditional energy sources and holds promise as limitless, clean source of power. However, it tends to generate sizable radioactive waste that will burden future generations and could influence the social acceptance of fusion energy, if remained unaddressed.

There have been notable advancements in fusion research since the 1960s with very specific application for magnetic fusion. Inertially-confined plasmas are an alternative approach that can be achieved using laser and ion beams. The tokamak is the most scientifically mature magnetic fusion power source globally with tens of operational experiments. The first generation of fusion will fuse two light isotopes of hydrogen. The D-T fuel is the least demanding to reach plasma ignition, but releases substantial 14 MeV neutrons. Alternate fuel cycles (D-D, D-³He, and P-¹¹B) generate much less neutrons and simplify the fusion design greatly, but their physics are at an earlier level of maturity compare to D-T.

Despite the remarkable advances in D-T plasma research efforts, the fusion technology challenges remain significant. The historical focus on burning plasma science with minor effort devoted to the technology delayed the deployment of fusion energy. Recently, worldwide fusion professionals have engaged in in-depth discussions on how to address the technology challenges. At the present time, the fusion funding is at all-time high with historic interest from worldwide governments and private industries, suggesting a remarkable shift from the experimental stage to an interim facility prior to the commercialization of fusion energy by 2050.

Of importance is that fusion supports the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) of energy transition to carbon-free electricity and plays a central role in the shift to sustainable energy production (SDGs # 7, 9, 12, 17), stressing the need to recycle all radioactive materials for efficient utilization of natural assets and minimization of environmental impact.