A prototype nuclear fusion power plant is currently under construction near Boston. Projected timeline for the realization of limitless, clean energy.
In a nondescript industrial park 30 miles outside Boston, a team of engineers are constructing a cutting-edge device that could revolutionize the energy sector. This machine, known as SPARC, is being built by Commonwealth Fusion Systems with the goal of harnessing the power of nuclear fusion, potentially providing virtually limitless, clean electricity to the U.S. in roughly a decade.
The SPARC device is a donut-shaped contraption that simultaneously functions as the hottest and coldest location within the solar system. Scientists working on the project claim that the interior of this gadget, known as a tokamak, is where they smash atoms together in 100-million-degree plasma. Through a nuclear fusion reaction, they aim to replicate the energy sourced from the sun.
While most are familiar with nuclear fission, which involves splitting atoms to produce energy, fusion is the exact opposite. Fusion has significantly greater energy potential and none of the safety concerns surrounding radioactive waste associated with fission.
SPARC is expected to produce 10 million times more energy than coal or natural gas, all while eliminating planet-warming pollution. The fuel for fusion is readily available, derived from deuterium, which can be found in seawater, and tritium extracted from lithium. Unlike nuclear fission, there is no atomic waste involved in the fusion process.
However, building a powerful and precise machine capable of harnessing the difficult-to-tame molten plasma while overcoming the net-energy issue is no small feat. According to Andrew Holland, CEO of the Fusion Industry Association, a trade group representing fusion companies around the globe, expectations are high. "Basically, what everyone expects is when we build the next machine, we expect it to be a net-energy machine," Holland said. "The question is, how fast can you build that machine?"
Commonwealth has a bold goal of constructing the world's first fusion-fueled power plant by the early 2030s in Virginia. "It's like a race with the planet," said Brandon Sorbom, Commonwealth's chief science officer. The stakes are high, as they race to find a solution for global warming while also competing against new, power-hungry technologies like artificial intelligence.
Perhaps most urgently, Commonwealth is racing against Chinese scientists to achieve net energy amid a rapid fusion buildout in China, where a massive facility has recently emerged. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin acknowledged this competition during a March energy conference, stating, "China is building fusion plants, and therefore we've got to get moving. There's a race to lead the world in power generation."
Fusion science has largely been settled, with the primary challenge being maintaining a reaction long enough to generate electricity. The plasma, a superheated cloud of charged gas where fusion reactions occur, is delicate and ephemeral, making it easy to manipulate and thus safe. "If you were to blow a breath of air onto the plasma, you would kill it," Sorbom explained. "If a meteor hits the plant and ruptures the vacuum vessel, everything just shuts down. It's not like you have something like Fukushima or Chernobyl where there's this runaway chain reaction."
In comparison to conventional power plants powered by coal, gas, or nuclear energy, SPARC is relatively small, which allows for future integration into power plants. Its size also makes it easier to transport and assemble, as it requires only standard equipment typically found in auto manufacturing facilities. Sorbom's team has established new magnet technology that further sets SPARC apart, utilizing thin, highly-conductive metal tape to increase the power of the magnet in a relatively small space.
While SPARC represents a major advancement in the field, it also comes with risks. Due to its groundbreaking nature, the magnets used in SPARC are being tested in unprecedented ways, which could entail significant risks. Chief among these is the potential for unexpected electrical current running through the magnet to cause damage. However, if the magnet technology functions as expected in the upcoming test runs, it would be a significant leap forward for the industry.
Ultimately, the success of SPARC and other similar projects could lead to the replacement of oil and gas, unleashing a wave of economic opportunity. However, obstacles remain, particularly in securing access to the lithium reserves required for tritium fuel and overcoming the net-energy issue. As the race to control fusion energy continues, countries like China have been making strategic investments in securing these resources.
- The SPARC device, a donut-shaped contraption, is being built by Commonwealth Fusion Systems to harness nuclear fusion, potentially providing clean electricity.
- In the SPARC device, scientists aim to replicate the energy sourced from the sun through a nuclear fusion reaction.
- Fusion has significantly greater energy potential and none of the safety concerns associated with nuclear fission.
- SPARC is expected to produce 10 million times more energy than coal or natural gas, without polluting the environment.
- The fuel for fusion is readily available, derived from deuterium in seawater and tritium extracted from lithium.
- The primary challenge in fusion is maintaining a reaction long enough to generate electricity, as the plasma is delicate and easy to manipulate.
- If successful, SPARC and similar projects could lead to the replacement of oil and gas, unleashing economic opportunity and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
- However, obstacles remain, particularly in securing access to lithium reserves and overcoming the net-energy issue, which countries like China have been making strategic investments to address.
