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Princeton lab develops technology that promises inexhaustible and sustainable energy, marking a crucial step towards replacing oil and other polluting sources.
'Holy Grail of Clean Energy': A breakthrough in nuclear fusion has been achieved by scientists at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in the United States. The development of the first quadrant of a super-powerful magnet for the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) nuclear fusion reactor marks a major milestone in the quest to create an inexhaustible and sustainable energy source. This progress brings humanity closer to a long-awaited goal: ending dependence on oil and other polluting energy sources.
The 'Holy Grail of Clean Energy' Project
The term “Holy Grail of clean energy” has been used to describe the nuclear fusion reactor because of its promise to provide clean, renewable and virtually unlimited energy. Unlike existing nuclear reactors, which use nuclear fission – the process that generates energy by splitting atoms – the reactor under development at Princeton Laboratory seeks to replicate nuclear fusion, the same reaction that powers the sun. This revolutionary technology has the potential to replace polluting energy sources and mitigate the effects of global warming.
The latest breakthrough announced by the lab involves the creation of two high-current magnets that form the Toroidal Field Ohmic (TF-OH) heating coil bundle. These magnets are the core of the NSTX-U reactor and play an essential role in the experiment, being compared by scientists to the core of an apple in terms of structure and function.
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Inexhaustible energy and the end of oil
If successful, nuclear fusion could transform the global energy landscape, providing an inexhaustible source of energy that would eliminate the need for fossil fuels, leading to the end of oil. Such a shift would have profound implications for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and reducing dependence on limited and non-renewable resources.
While the 'holy grail of clean energy' is still in the development phase, advances in the NSTX-U design bring scientists closer to overcoming the technical challenges associated with nuclear fusion. According to the laboratory's director, Steve Cowley, the completion of the first quadrant of the super-powerful magnet is an achievement that reinforces the team's commitment to building a sustainable energy future.
How a fusion reactor works
A nuclear fusion reactor seeks to mimic the natural process that occurs in the core of the sun, where hydrogen atoms collide and fuse, releasing enormous amounts of energy. Unlike nuclear fission, which splits atoms and generates long-lasting radioactive waste, nuclear fusion uses light atoms, such as hydrogen, and produces minimal waste and low environmental impact.
For fusion to occur, extreme conditions of temperature and pressure must be created, something that requires highly advanced technologies, such as the super-powerful magnets developed by the Princeton Laboratory. These devices help contain the plasma, the form of matter that reaches the extremely high temperatures required for fusion.
The dream of an inexhaustible energy source still faces obstacles
Although scientists are excited about the progress made in developing a fusion reactor, the dream of an inexhaustible energy source still faces technical hurdles. Creating a fully functional commercial reactor requires substantial investment, advances in materials and infrastructure, and international collaborations.
Still, the NSTX-U project marks an important step in this journey. By leveraging innovative technologies and advancing the construction of the reactor, the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is helping to bring humanity closer to an energy revolution that could redefine the role of science in mitigating the impacts of climate change and lead to the end of oil.
China already has a reactor like this, they are behind because they are already well ahead in this new sun technology.
They are on the verge of creating nuclear energy. Only 30 years to go
It's actually nonsense at the moment. The cost of generating energy this way is prohibitive. And we are far from the economic viability of controlled fusion.