In a big step forward for clean energy, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Ignition Facility has achieved more progress with the world's only net-positive fusion experiment. According to TechCrunch, recent tests have more than doubled the energy yield of the laser-powered system, bringing us closer to a future of affordable, clean power.
Nuclear fusion — sometimes called the "holy grail" of clean energy — works by fusing atoms (the opposite of nuclear fission), releasing massive amounts of energy in the process. Unlike other energy sources, it doesn't produce harmful pollution or rely on scarce resources, and it's much more efficient.
In 2022, the NIF made headlines for achieving the first controlled fusion reaction that produced more energy than it consumed. That shot generated 3.15 megajoules of energy from just 2.05 megajoules delivered to the fuel pellet. Since then, the team has steadily improved its technique, with recent attempts yielding 5.2 megajoules and then 8.6 megajoules.
While the NIF wasn't designed to feed power into the grid, these breakthroughs show that fusion is achievable. The potential benefits are enormous. Fusion could provide reliable, always-on electricity that lowers energy bills, reduce our need for polluting infrastructure, and power everything from cities to homes with a safer, more sustainable alternative to dirty energy. This means cutting down on pollution, helping support better long-term public health, and curbing the risks linked to rising global temperatures.
While this science is still evolving, consumers can benefit from clean energy today by installing solar panels, which can bring the cost of home electricity down to near $0. EnergySage makes it easy to compare vetted installers and save up to $10,000 on installation. If you can't install solar panels, there are increasingly more ways to go green and save money through community solar projects.
Several startups, including Xcimer Energy and Focused Energy, are now racing to bring inertial confinement fusion technology into the commercial space, joining the ranks of other innovative clean-energy players such as BlocPower and Energy Vault.
"The benefits of fusion for humanity have never been more clear or more necessary," said Mark Cupta, managing partner at Prelude Ventures and Xcimer board member.
"The pursuit of fusion ignition in the laboratory is one of the most significant scientific challenges ever tackled by humanity," said Kim Budil, director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. "Achieving it is a triumph of science, engineering, and most of all, people."
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