Staying on the technology theme for one more article, this one is about nuclear power. As a teenager my best friend’s father was very engaged in the topic and indoctrinated me early. Therefore, I have opposed nuclear power from fission since the 60’s. (Yea, I’m old enough for that to have happened.)
While power from nuclear fission does not emit global warming gasses, it has so many other horrible other issues that I support closing down all the plants as soon as we can make that happen. Meanwhile, we still have to figure out how to store the nuclear waste that can cause DNA damage for literally hundreds of thousands of years.
Meanwhile, there’s the promise of nuclear fusion. In this process, instead of splitting an atom it fuses them together. This is actually how the sun, and other stars, function. The fuel comes from sea water and there is no nuclear waste. And HUGE amounts of energy. Sounds perfect, right?
The principal problem we have in making this work in a way that we can use it is how hot the reaction is. We have no way of containing it. Magnetic fields have been one hope.
Nevertheless, people from around the world have been trying to figure this out since the 60’s or 70’s. Below is a brief article with an update on where this stands today. Regardless of any breakthrough, this is not a short term solution but could be a huge factor by mid century or so if we can make it work somehow.
“Conventional nuclear power plants use a different technology, fission, which generates energy as a large, unstable nucleus is split into smaller elements. Unlike fusion systems, they also produce deadly, radioactive waste.”
“Firms pursuing such designs are hoping they can start generating power sooner than the 35-nation, $25 billion Tokamak fusion reactor known as ITER. Collaborators on that facility — the largest research project in history — have been laboring on a gigantic demonstration reactor in France since 2010.”
“Canada-based General Fusion is one of about two dozen companies seeking to commercialize nuclear fusion technology. It relies on the same process that powers stars, generating huge amounts of energy by fusing small atoms into larger ones. While it holds out the promise of cheap, carbon-free energy, researchers have been working for decades to overcome significant technical hurdles.”
Bezos-backed fusion startup raises $100M for nuclear demo
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
The company lined up $65 million in Series E financing led by Singapore’s Temasek Holdings Pte, and is getting another $38 million from Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund, General Fusion Inc. said in a statement yesterday. It’s now attracted more than $200 million in financing.
Canada-based General Fusion is one of about two dozen companies seeking to commercialize nuclear fusion technology. It relies on the same process that powers stars, generating huge amounts of energy by fusing small atoms into larger ones. While it holds out the promise of cheap, carbon-free energy, researchers have been working for decades to overcome significant technical hurdles.
“The world is pivoting toward fusion as the necessary complement to other technologies which, collectively, will enable the carbon-free energy future we all need,” Chief Executive Officer Christofer Mowry said in the statement.
Firms pursuing such designs are hoping they can start generating power sooner than the 35-nation, $25 billion Tokamak fusion reactor known as ITER. Collaborators on that facility — the largest research project in history — have been laboring on a gigantic demonstration reactor in France since 2010.
Conventional nuclear power plants use a different technology, fission, which generates energy as a large, unstable nucleus is split into smaller elements. Unlike fusion systems, they also produce deadly, radioactive waste.
The financing round was led by Temasek and joined by existing investors including Bezos Expeditions and Chrysalix Venture Capital. — Will Wade and Jonathan Tirone, Bloomberg
