Hector Serrano’s Post

Generation Atomic fellow, Gayatri K., had the opportunity to explore the future of fusion energy at ITER and explore its potential to revolutionize our approach to clean energy. ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is a large-scale scientific collaboration aimed at proving the feasibility of fusion energy, the process that powers the sun, as a sustainable and limitless energy source. It brings together 35 nations to build the world's largest tokamak, a device designed to demonstrate controlled nuclear fusion. We interviewed Laban Coblentz, ITER's Head of Communications to dive deeper into the role of science diplomacy in facilitating global cooperation on such a monumental project. Fusion represents a leap forward in sustainable energy, and the international collaboration at ITER highlights how science can bridge borders, fostering shared goals for a cleaner and more secure future. Exciting times ahead for nuclear innovation! Check out her video here: https://lnkd.in/eg5uyhsE #ITER #GenerationAtomic #Fusion

Global race for #fusionenergy is continues with major players like China and the U.S. making significant strides   - China is heavily investing in #fusiontechnology, spending around $1.5 billion annually — almost double the U.S. budget. With a robust national #fusion consortium and rapid advancements, China is aiming to lead in #magneticfusion capabilities within a few years - The U.S. continues ramping up efforts, with recent milestones such as achieving ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The 2024 federal budget includes $790 million for #fusionresearch, emphasizing the need for public-private partnerships to accelerate commercialization - While collaboration exists in international projects like #ITER in France, the competitive tension is rising. Both countries aim to harness #fusion not only for #energyindependence but also to lead the global clean #energytransition - Significant challenges remain - from scientific hurdles to funding constraints, achieving commercial fusion energy will require sustained effort.. and cooperation

A high-tech race is under way between the U.S. and China as both countries chase an elusive energy source: fusion. China is outspending the U.S., completing a massive fusion technology campus and launching a national fusion consortium that includes some of its largest industrial companies. Crews in China work in three shifts, essentially around the clock, to complete fusion projects. And the Asian superpower has 10 times as many Ph.D.s in fusion science and engineering as the U.S. The result is an increasing worry among American officials and scientists that an early U.S. lead is slipping away. https://lnkd.in/echzh3ww

📢 This is a shoutout to all those working or studying in the nuclear fusion sphere. Please take out only 7 minutes of your scrolling time here - your feedback is wanted! Why? Because the practices you have seen or participated in to further fusion is valuable to understanding where the industry stands now and where it can evolve. I am looking for more input from Fusioneers for my ongoing Masters' thesis in International Relations. Thesis Topic: The Role of Soft Power in the Development of the Fusion Industry. More info is explained in the survey itself. Your feedback is highly appreciated! Thank you ✨ https://lnkd.in/dDs55jcJ P.S If you've already taken the survey - awesome! Please share it to your network. Even one more input is helpful 🙌🏼 #nuclearfusion #nuclear #fusion #softpower #energy #survey #student #masters #thesis #community

DIII-D's return to operations was featured in The San Diego Union-Tribune. The article covered the recent upgrades and how DIII-D scientists will use the components to advance fusion research during our ongoing experimental campaign. Read the article here: https://bit.ly/3wPg9SA #fusionenergy #tokamak #upgrades #experiment #scientificresearch

Of possible interest from the WSJ: "A high-tech race is under way between the U.S. and China as both countries chase an elusive energy source: fusion. "China is outspending the U.S., completing a massive fusion technology campus and launching a national fusion consortium that includes some of its largest industrial companies. "Crews in China work in three shifts, essentially around the clock, to complete fusion projects. And the Asian superpower has 10 times as many Ph.D.s in fusion science and engineering as the U.S.  #fusion #nuclearenergy https://lnkd.in/edipEbTW

https://lnkd.in/dR53TBDc Hello all of my friends , Today I will share with you Wisdom ..... This is a brief overview of scientific developments... Yesterday we talked about electromagnetic fields of the earth and the sun ... Today we talk about plasma containment with the principals of those same magnetic fields ... And now for all of you welders out there that wonder what does this have to do with welding ? We use a process called tig welding . Also refered to as Heli arc welding . Using a Innert gas that allows the tungeston electrode not to burn up into a carbon state a chain reaction so to speak .. And it also protects the molten puddle of metal . as a shielding gas to preserve the integrity / Structure of the metals... In The Nuclear World of Physical Sciences .. these same principals are used w electrodes / Uranium/ Plutonium .so they will not have a similar chain reaction. While Fusion and Fision are two totally different things . The controlling Atmosphere or conditions around them such as magnetic forces gases such as hydrogen and the like are means of manipulation and containment ... Isn't Science Fantastic !!!🧠 But , Then Again What do I Know ? I'm Just a Regular Joe 🤷♂️😉. is

This article is interesting! Very excited about the recent funding and technological developments for fusion, but I'm eager to get some more questions answered... - If Q > 1 is achieved, what will be the top 3 biggest problems in scaling to commercial viability? - Do we have enough lithium supply for both the increase in battery demand and fusion fuel generation? - How does the industry plan to get STEM experts outside of plasma physics more involved? This seems to be coupled with scaling. Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Tokamak Energy, Zap Energy, Helion, Michael Ginsberg, EngScD, Charlie Baynes-Reid, Sam Wurzel, Andy Freeberg, Xin (Laura) Zhang

Do we spend enough on fusion R&D? That’s one of the questions Niek Lopes Cardozo and I explore in our latest paper, read it here: https://lnkd.in/eWvnjMvU . We discuss how to scale new technologies with long development cycles, and why it requires us to explore options in parallel - and how much you should pay. If you think fusion will be supplying a lot of power in the future, then we (roughly) calculate how much more we should probably spend now. It’s plenty: at least double, probably more…think ~ten times. And in any case, it’s better to overspend than underspend. What does this mean? It means if we lived in an ideal world, with lots of viable fusion technologies, then we are probably being far too risk averse. It would be like the Olympic torch bearer taking only one match with them to the lighting ceremony, because they didn’t want to spend more money on spare matches!

It all has to do with political and scientific needs plus control, ITER plus EU still fails to give the UK security on research and funds use. Then there is the consideration that the UK has now entered the fusion race as an independent nation and as such expects to get a better return on its research and funds from Culham which is advancing faster than ITER and to a commercial end which ITER will never or has never aimed for as a pure research facility. It is the economics of the fusion industry even now that is better for the UK as well as the US and China that is the point. As it is said "quid pro quo" https://lnkd.in/gibvFgfF