Nuclear Fusion Has Gone From Pipe Dream To Possibility
Nuclear fusion has been the holy grail of energy for decades now, but even its most ardent proponents will admit that it isn’t going to be commercialized any time soon.
While it is undoubtedly still a fuel for the future, it has been noticeable lately just how many breakthrough’s the nuclear fusion field has seen.
The most recent breakthrough came from the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak project, where scientists discovered a never-before-seen mode of plasma operation.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.