Mario Gabriel Fanego’s Post

For almost a century, scientists have been dreaming of harnessing the power of thermonuclear fusion to provide the world with a sustainable source of energy. The potential benefits are immense: zero-carbon electricity that can flow day and night without dependence on weather patterns or the need to store radioactive waste for centuries. Achieving this dream requires igniting fusion here on Earth, which is no small feat. It involves heating light isotopes to hundreds of millions of degrees, creating an ionized plasma that can be controlled with magnetic fields. The challenges are daunting, but recent progress has been made. In late 2022, a multibillion-dollar fusion experiment in California was able to ignite a tiny isotope sample with more thermonuclear energy than went in, though the event lasted only a fraction of a nanosecond and required the combined output of 192 of the world's most powerful lasers. Private investment firms have taken notice of the potential of fusion power, backing startups with over $6 billion in funding. This combination of new technology and private investment creates a happy synergy, according to Jonathan Menard, head of research at the Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. As climate change continues to escalate, the need for sustainable energy sources becomes increasingly urgent. Fusion power could be the key to a carbon-free future. #sustainability #fusionpower #renewableenergy #climatechange #cleanenergy

As the name suggests, most electronic devices today work through the movement of electrons. But materials that can efficiently conduct protons — the nucleus of the hydrogen atom — could be key to a number of important technologies for combating global climate change. Most proton-conducting inorganic materials available now require undesirably high temperatures to achieve sufficiently high conductivity. However, lower-temperature alternatives could enable a variety of technologies, such as more efficient and durable fuel cells to produce clean electricity from hydrogen, electrolyzers to make clean fuels such as hydrogen for transportation, solid-state proton batteries, and even new kinds of computing devices based on iono-electronic effects. In order to advance the development of proton conductors, MIT engineers have identified certain traits of materials that give rise to fast proton conduction. Using those traits quantitatively, the team identified a half-dozen new candidates that show promise as fast proton conductors. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e_dZytmw The new findings are described in the journal Energy and Environmental Sciences, in a paper by MIT professors Bilge Yildiz and Ju Li, postdocs Pjotrs Zguns and Konstantin Klyukin, and their collaborator Sossina Haile and her students from Northwestern University. Yildiz is the Breene M. Kerr Professor in the departments of Nuclear Science and Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering.

How close are we to harnessing the universe's most powerful energy source? ☀️ Dive into our latest blog, where we explore the thrilling transition of fusion energy from theory to practical commercialization. Discover the breakthroughs propelling us towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. #SustainableEnergy #Innovation #FusionFuture

#fusion #plasma #generator #netzero #engineering #electricity #power #energy Is this Fusion starting to look affordable. A small-scale and compact device built by US-based fusion startup Zap Energy has achieved plasma electron temperatures of 1-3 keV, roughly equivalent to 20 to 66 million degrees Fahrenheit (11 to 37 million degrees Celsius). In nearly a century of humanity working with fusion reactions, only a few technologies have reached plasma fusion temperatures above 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (15 million degrees Celsius), the temperature of our Sun’s core. With first plasmas in next-generation fusion device and fresh capital, Zap Energy advances toward scientific breakeven First plasmas in FuZE-Q and $160 million in Series C funding mark major milestones for Zap Energy’s development of Z-pinch fusion as a carbon-free energy source that is much smaller and simpler than other fusion approaches No magnets required The key to Zap Energy’s success is a breakthrough method of confining and compressing plasma called a sheared-flow-stabilized (SFS) Z pinch. In Z-pinch fusion a line of plasma carrying an electrical current generates its own magnetic field that “pinches” the plasma until it’s hot and dense enough for fusion to occur. SFS then helps sustain the plasma by suppressing instabilities that have plagued historical attempts at Z-pinch fusion. Compared to prevailing approaches to fusion, Zap Energy’s technology is incredibly elegant and does not require any superconducting magnets or high-powered lasers. A simpler method of producing fusion means an opportunity to build smaller, less complex, more scalable systems that will more quickly bring fusion energy to the grid.

How close are we to harnessing the universe's most powerful energy source? ☀️ Dive into our latest blog, where we explore the thrilling transition of fusion energy from theory to practical commercialization. Discover the breakthroughs propelling us towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. #SustainableEnergy #Innovation #FusionFuture

"Scientists have been chasing the dream of harnessing the reactions that power the Sun since the dawn of the atomic era. Interest, and investment, in the potentially carbon-free energy source is heating up." Knowable Magazine's M. Mitchell Waldrop takes a detailed look at the #fusionenergy sector in this new feature on the approaches, challenges and goal of "making all our carbon dioxide-spewing coal- and gas-fired plants a distant memory". He explains how novel technologies such as high temperature #superconductors are promising to make fusion machines "smaller, simpler, cheaper and more efficient than once seemed possible", and highlights Tokamak Energy and its compact cored apple power plant design as pioneers. Sweet. #energytransition #cleantech

Peak is thrilled about the future of #fusionenergy! Exciting advancements in the #fusionindustry are being discussed, bringing us one step closer to a sustainable future. Check out this insightful post by Dean Bubley to learn more! #FusionEnergy #SustainableFuture #fusionfuture

ANSTO's response to the Australian Government's new National Science and Research priorities I take this as a huge vote of confidence in Vanessa Peterson's and Neeraj Sharma's efforts over the last 15 years and more. The bottom line is that ANSTO's nuclear methods (especially neutrons from the OPAL Reactor) are excellent for studying all manner of problems in energy materials, from lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen storage, through welds in gas pipelines, materials for gas turbines and reactor components, to the porosity of coals and shale gas reservoirs. "Transitioning to a net zero future For the past 15 years, ANSTO researchers have led an energy materials research program, focusing on advancing the development of next generation materials and renewables technologies, which ultimately support a net zero future. This program includes research into batteries – particularly lithium-ion batteries - to enhance and maximise energy storage systems and improve battery performance. Other focus areas have centred on optimising the materials used in solar cells for superior energy performance. This work includes investigating solutions to develop flexible organic solar cells, which are an easier and cheaper alternative to produce compared to current photovoltaic (PV) solar panels." https://lnkd.in/gRMv27Ta #neutronscattering #nuclear #energy #energymaterials #batteries #hydrogen

With all the #cop28 talk this week, it’s a good time to refresh your memory on FESAC’s long-range plan to deliver fusion energy and to advance plasma science. Powering the Future: Fusion & Plasmas A Report of the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) #fusion #fusionenergy #fusionscience #fusionfuture #plasma #plasmaphysics #plasmascience https://lnkd.in/gmzS5xk5

A great example of how innovation in one field can open up entirely new technologies in another - the discovery of high temperature superconductors has allowed Commonwealth Fusion Systems to shrink the size of their tokamak reactor by 40x compared to the previous state of the art reactor. If their technology can produce more energy than it consumes, it would be a groundbreaking technology to help decarbonization. https://lnkd.in/dwxX9V7x