UK Atomic Energy Authority’s Post

JET Achieves Fusion Energy Milestone with New World Record: Garching, Germany (SPX) Feb 09, 2024 The Joint European Torus (JET), a cornerstone in global fusion research, has once again made headlines by achieving a significant breakthrough in fusion energy generation. In its latest series of experiments, JET not only demonstrated the capability to generate fusion energy reliably but also set a new world record for energy output, marking a pivotal moment in the pursuit of sustainable and low

We're one step closer to fusion energy.  Ever since net energy gain was achieved at the Lawrence Livermore, development in fusion energy has exploded. To refresh your memory, net energy gain (the event that led to the White House calling a press conference) is when a fusion reaction generates more energy than what it used.  However, the latest breakthrough happened thousands of miles away in the United Kingdom.  The JET Tokamak reactor, jointly built by the brightest minds in Europe, managed to produce and sustain a record 69 megajoules of energy using just 0.2 milligrams of fuel!  69 megajoules is enough energy to power 12,000 homes in the UK!  JET was constructed in 1983 and this is the first time that it's been able to produce this much energy.  This is testament to the notion that once the first breakthrough is made, the next ones happen faster and faster. To achieve our climate goals and to ensure Earth remains habitable (without sacrificing our quality of life) clean energy sources like fusion are a must. Some of the best scientists and engineers are working on solving the fusion problem. With the increasing investment and the advances in technology, I am certain we will see commercial fusion energy within the next 30 years. If this piques your interest in fusion at all, I wrote an essay on what its all about. I've left a link in the comments!

... and, the UK isn't now part of this?! ... 🙄 In the fusion reaction, a tiny amount of mass is converted to a huge amount of energy (E=mc2) ... The plant at ITER will produce about 500 megawatts of thermal power. If operated continuously and connected to the electric grid, that would translate to about 200 megawatts of electric power, enough for about 200,000 homes. A commercial fusion plant will be designed with a slightly larger plasma chamber, for 10–15 times more electrical power. A 2,000 megawatt fusion power plant, for example, would supply electricity for 2 million homes. Fusion power plants are carbon-free; they release no CO2 ...

#Wind farms have generated a record share of U.S. electricity production so far in 2024, and are the second largest source of #cleanpower behind #nuclear plants in the U.S. generation system. Shortages of parts, jumps in labor costs and drawn-out development timelines have slowed the pace of wind farm construction in the last couple of years. But recent drops in development costs plus lucrative tax credits set to become available in 2025 have rekindled wind project growth in 2024. That should further elevate wind power's status in the U.S. generation mix, and establish wind farms as a key pillar of the U.S. energy system over the coming years. Today's column highlights some of the key trends and data points that can help track the ongoing development of this critical power source: https://lnkd.in/gh43zpnm #energytransition #renewables #emissions #windpower

Here is a really interesting paper from Renaissance Fusion on the potential cost of fusion power plants, which would be competitive with solar by retrofitting old energy plants. https://lnkd.in/g6kWEsXz The main product of most fusion energy designs is heat. Which then can turn a turbine for electricity, be used for industrial purposes, etc. If you retrofit a decommissioned plant, you can save a ton of cost, according to their analysis. Their strategy could put the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) at 39 $/MWh and 51 $/MWh for a retrofitted fission plant and coal plant, respectively. For context, the LCOE of utility solar is between $30 and $180 globally. Of course it's still very early to know for sure, but great to consider in the meantime.

Fusion energy, long seen as a scientific dream, is now approaching a pivotal moment that could redefine how we power our world. Karl Tischler from the European fusion research consortium EUROfusion discusses the potential of fusion energy in achieving global decarbonisation. The article explores the fusion process, its potential beyond electricity generation, the challenges and future outlook of fusion energy. Make sure to read the article here: https://bit.ly/3UgCv7G #fusionenergy

🔥⚛️ Unlocking the Potential of #Fusion #Energy ⚛️🔥 #Breakthrough #Technology: Fusion energy #harnesses the power of the sun, fusing atomic nuclei to release vast amounts of energy. Get Info : https://shorturl.at/ioqTW Clean Energy Solution: Unlike #traditional nuclear fission, fusion produces minimal radioactive waste and poses no risk of catastrophic #meltdowns. Global Investment: Governments, #research #institutions, and private companies worldwide are investing heavily in fusion energy research and #development. 💡🌍 #FusionEnergy #CleanEnergyRevolution #SustainableFuture #Innovation #RenewableEnergy #usmanufacturer #usmanufacturing #spacetechnology #loud #highvacuum #vacuumchamber #smallsat #cubesat #spacecraft #spacetech #beamline #energydrink #synchrotron #thermalvacuum #tvac

The majority of leading countries are prioritizing renewable energy resources, which in turn dominates their power generation capacity. Hence, renewable resources are now an essential part of the energy sector, and as the world is still experimenting on these resources, new technologies are in development constantly. Here are 9 top minerals and their use in renewable energy transitions- Lithium: Lithium-ion batteries are dominantly used in Electric Vehicles. Silver: It is essential for contacts in solar panel because of its high electrical and thermal conductivity. Rare Earth: These are key components in magnets used in EVs and wind turbines. Uranium: Nuclear power is the second-largest contributor of low-carbon electricity. Copper: Renewable energy systems can use up to six times more copper than traditional sources. Cobalt: It enhances battery power density and is part of 63% of EV batteries worldwide. Graphite: It is the largest component in a lithium-ion battery by volume. Nickel: Ni-based battery cathodes offer high energy density and increased driving ranges for EVs. Manganese: It is crucial for its use as a stabilizing component in many lithium batteries for EVs. . . . #minerals #renewableenergy #solarenergy #windenergy #biomassenergy #powergeneration #sustainableliving #businessconsultancy #MITCONSustainability #MITCON

I often rail that we need to look into and pursue energy storage schemes every bit as hard as we are looking into energy sources, because Energy Harvesting is simply not as reliable or consistent as energy generation from thermal reactors like fossil fuel or nuclear. Everyone jumps to the conclusion that Lithium Ion Chemistry has to be the way to go, and sadly ignore the hundreds of alternatives that we could evolve into what we actually need for a reliable and redundant "universal grid". There are literally too many options to list here, but this article explains one that has achieved a remarkable 41.1% efficiency when used with specially modified solar cells/reflectors. I must note, this is well into the "useful" range, and does so with devices that do not seem prone to wear or the need for emissions. Great article helps to explain it clearly.

Our latest update to PLEXOS Zonal EIC v24.5 includes significant enhancements, including new and improved natural gas hubs assignments and forecasts, enhanced emissions modeling, nuclear outage projections, and advanced tools for modeling RPS and zero carbon targets. How these advancements reshape the way we approach energy optimization and decision-making? Find out more in our latest blog: Energy Exemplar #PLEXOS #datasets #EnergyTransition #EasternInterconnect #LongTermCapacityExpansion #EmissionsAnalysis #RenewableEnergy