13 December 2022 – A Historical Day – Fusion – The Game Changer
Today may well become one of the most historical days in History
It may even become the most historic day of all time.
Today a major breakthrough has been announced by US scientists in the race to recreate nuclear fusion.
Physicists have for decades been pursuing the technology to create a source of near-limitless clean energy.
Today researchers confirmed they had for the first time overcome a major hurdle in their quest, as they produced more energy from a fusion experiment than was put in. A landmark experiment.
Now before we all get too giddy and think that’s it we can all forget about climate change issues, we need to hold our horses, it is still going to be quite a while off before fusion provides energy for our homes and lives in a practical way.
For the record the experiment took place at the National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California.
Nuclear Fusion is described as the ‘holy grail’ of energy production, it being the process that powers the stars and our sun. Producing huge amounts of energy with very little waste.
However, this experiment produced only a very tiny amount energy, enough to boil a few kettles of water, but what it represents is far more significant.
So, we now know fusion can be achieved, the issue remaining is how long and how much will it cost to do it practically.
Well, I am not confident it will be in my life time, but it does provide hope for the millions of young people and their future children and grandchildren that practical energy with no detriment to the world is one step closer.
