Nuclear Fusion is what powers the sun to provide energy for our planet. To power it, hydrogen atoms come together to form helium and that matter is converted into energy. If we could find a way to develop Nuclear Fusion, we could create unlimited clean energy for our planet. This would drastically slow down or even end climate change and fossil fuels.
Nuclear Fusion works by two light nuclei fusing together to create one heavier nucleus. The heavier nucleus is lighter than both of the nuclei combined and since matter cannot be created or destroyed, the remaining matter converts to energy. There are many different types of fusion which involve different elements from the periodic table. However, one of the main types of reactions which scientists are working on is the deuterium-tritium reaction. This reaction is known to release the most energy. This reaction works by putting in deuterium and tritium to create fusion to produce a neutron and helium nucleus. This reaction produces large amounts of energy and occurs at lower temperatures, which is why scientists prefer to use this type of reaction.
Many companies are working on developing fusion energy for our planet. A few of those companies are Commonwealth Fusion, General Fusion, TAE Technologies, First Light Fusion, Tokamak Energy, and Advanced Ignition. Scientists have already achieved deuterium-tritium fusion in labs across the US.
If we have found a way to create unlimited green energy for our planet then why are we still relying on fossil fuels and emitting greenhouse gases into the air? A big technical difficulty is that creating nuclear fusion requires massive external heating. While some facilities may be able to provide this, many can not. Deuterium-tritium fusion, which scientists believe to have a lower temprature than other types of fusion, still requires an excess temprature of 100 million degrees. Reaching that temprature would require millions of watts of power. Where would we get that power? The answer is fossil fuels and greenhouse gases because solar panels, windmills and other clean energy sources would not be able to produce that massive amount of power.
Nuclear energy could be amazing for the planet. It would put an end to climate change. This could also have a huge effect on the economy: with this unlimited power, the price of items would drastically decrease. If we could find a way to make nuclear fusion work, it could provide many benefits for our planet in many different ways.
Sources:
