In September 2023, the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory had a breakthrough discovery that would accelerate the use of controlled fusion energy. But before diving into the details of the breakthrough, one must first understand what fusion energy is. In simple terms, it is the energy released via heat when two atoms smash into each other to form a heavier atom. It is observed in the universe, responsible for the vast energy that powers the sun and stars.
In recent years, fusion energy has been garnering a lot of interest for its potential to be a highly efficient clean alternative energy source. According to the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, 1kg of fusion fuel provides the same amount of energy as 10 million kg of fossil fuel. The amount of waste it produces is also minimal. Whereas the process of burning fossil fuels increases greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere and contributes to climate change, fusion energy does not produce CO2 or other harmful byproducts. Moreover, unlike fossil fuels which are unreplenishable by nature in a short timeframe, fusion energy uses hydrogen, the most prevalent element in the universe.
The current challenge in harnessing fusion energy is reducing the run-away electrons’ damage on what are known as tokamak fusion devices. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) inspired new strategies to mitigate the problem. While it was always known that Alfvén waves, a particular type of plasma, causes high-energy electrons to escape and thus reduces the efficiency of the fusion devices, the scientists at Princeton found that run-away electrons from Alfvén waves prevents more run-away electrons from growing into avalanches that can damage tokamak components. In other words, they found that the population of runaway electrons can be controlled by instabilities driven by the runaway electrons. The finding will have a significant impact on tokamak fusion devices, accelerating the arrival of one of the most sustainable energy sources.
Sources
Culham Centre for Fusion Energy. “Bringing the Power Source of the Stars down to Earth Could Give Us Low-Carbon Electricity for Millennia to Come.” Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, ccfe.ukaea.uk/ fusion-energy/fusion-in-brief/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2023.
Greenwald, John. “A Breakthrough Discovery Could Accelerate the Arrival of Controlled Fusion Energy on Earth.” Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, 15 Sept. 2023, www.pppl.gov/news/2023/ breakthrough-discovery-could-accelerate-arrival-controlled-fusion-energy-earth. Accessed 20 Nov. 2023.
