Recent developments in the quest for fusion power have been a major step forward. The results of an experiment that produced a record-breaking fusion yield was announced by the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. One laser shot caused reactions that produced 1.3 megajoules fusion yield energy and signatures of nuclear proliferation.
This milestone shows how close fusion is to power production. These latest results show the rapid pace at which progress is being made, especially since lasers are changing at an incredible rate.
The laser is one the most important technological inventions since the end World War II. Lasers are used in a wide variety of applications, including precision surgery, machining and consumer electronics. They are essential to everyday life. Lasers also open up a new chapter in physics, enabling controlled nuclear fission with positive energy gains.
Six decades of innovation later, lasers now assist us in the urgent task of developing dense, clean and efficient fuels that will help to solve the world's energy crisis. Every decade, the peak power achievable in a laser pulse has increased by a factor 1000.
Recently, physicists conducted a fusion experiment which produced 1,500 terawatts. This generated between four and five times the energy that the entire world consumes in a given time for a brief period. This means that we already have the ability to generate enormous amounts of power. We now need to generate enormous amounts of energy to offset the energy used to drive the igniting beams.
There are significant advances in the target side of lasers. Nanostructure targets allow for more efficient absorption and ignition of laser energy. Although this has been possible for only a few years, there is tremendous technological innovation every year.
You may be wondering what holds us back from commercial fusion becoming a reality in the face of all this progress.
Two major challenges remain: First, we must bring all of the pieces together to create an integrated process that meets all technoeconomic and physical requirements. To do this, we need to secure sustainable levels of public and private investment. The overall funding for fusion research is very low. This is shocking considering the potential for fusion, especially when compared to other energy technologies.
In 2020, clean energy investments amounted more than $500 billion. Only a small fraction of this amount goes into fusion research, development and testing. The sector is home to many talented scientists and eager students. We also have outstanding government research laboratories. Researchers and students are united in their belief in controlled nuclear fusion's power and potential. To make this vision a reality, we should provide financial support.
We need to expand public and private investments that are responsive to the opportunities at hand. Although they may not have the same impact for a longer period of time, such investments will make a significant difference in the long-term. Net-energy gains are possible in the next decade, and commercialization based on early prototypes will be very quick.
However, such timelines are highly dependent on the availability and funding of resources. Alternative energy sources such as solar and wind are receiving significant investment. However, fusion must be included in the global energy mix. This is especially important as we near the crucial breakthrough moment.
Laser-driven nuclear Fusion could be the new energy source of choice and replace many other less desirable energy sources if it is commercialized. Fusion, when done properly, can provide energy that is equal parts safe, clean, and affordable. Fusion power plants will replace many of the current dominant power plants and large-scale infrastructure for energy. No need to use coal or gas.
The continuous optimization of the Fusion process results in higher yields but lower costs. This promises energy production that is much cheaper than the current price point. This is equivalent to unlimited energy. Unlimited energy means unlimited possibilities. What can you do? I see a way to reverse climate change, by removing the carbon dioxide that we have released into the atmosphere in the past 150 years.
A future powered by fusion technology would allow you to also use energy to desalinate and create unlimited water resources, which would make a huge impact on deserted areas. Fusion technology enables better societies and keeps them clean and sustainable, rather than being dependent on dirty, destructive energy sources.
After years of dedication to research at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (Larry Livermore National Laboratory) and the National Ignition Facility, I had the privilege to lead the first inertial confinement fusion experiments. The seed of something extraordinary was planted and growing. I have never seen laser technology so used to empower and advance humanity.
My fellow students and scientists are determined to move fusion beyond the realm of tangibility and into reality. However, this will require trust and support. It is possible to make a small investment today and provide a more welcomed alternative energy source in the global arena.
I'm betting on science and optimism, and I hope others will do the same.
