01 How It Works
Fusion forces light nuclei (typically deuterium and tritium, isotopes of hydrogen) to merge at extreme temperatures (100+ million ยฐC). This releases energy per reaction about 3โ4ร greater than fission, with helium as the main byproduct. Confining the plasma at these temperatures requires magnetic confinement (Tokamak, Stellarator) or inertial confinement (laser). The reaction produces fast neutrons that breed more tritium fuel in a lithium blanket.
02 Pros & Cons
โ Advantages
- Near-unlimited fuel (deuterium from seawater)
- No long-lived radioactive waste
- No meltdown risk
- Enormous energy density
โ ๏ธ Disadvantages
- Not yet commercially viable
- Massive engineering challenges
- "Always 30 years away" reputation
- Tritium breeding requirements
03 Future Outlook
2022 marked a milestone: the US National Ignition Facility achieved ignition - more energy out than laser energy in. ITER (35-nation project) begins plasma operations in the late 2020s. Private companies (Commonwealth Fusion Systems, TAE Technologies, Helion) are targeting commercial fusion by the 2030sโ2040s. If achieved, fusion could transform civilization's energy future.
04 Fun Fact
The fuel for one fusion power plant could be extracted from ordinary seawater. A bathtub of seawater contains enough fusion fuel to power a house for decades.