- cross-posted to:
- science
- cross-posted to:
- science
More than 50% more energy was generated than was used for the reaction. 2.05 Megajoules in, 3.15 Megajoules out. Let’s see how fast the US fossil fuel oligarchs start creating anti-fusion propaganda like they did with fission.
You must log in or register to comment.
A pity it’s USA, but now when it’s proven possible with current tech, i expect other projects to get there sooner or later. Especially looking at France and China.
If this isn’t more “fusion power just around the corner!” stuff, this sounds huge
No, this is more like “fusion has actually generated energy”. Before this, fusion couldn’t break even, it actually took energy to do. This is saying that, for the first time ever, more energy was released from the fusion reaction than was put in. This is a major breakthrough.
This is true. But what is also true is that we are not accounting for the energy that goes into creating the reaction itself… it is not energy positive.
To me this will just be an excuse to continue business as usual because, hey, we have fusion now!
It is energy positive. In total, they inputted 2.05 MJ, they got 3.15. That’s 1.10 MJ of extra energy.
Yes, the process itself is efficient, but what I am pointing out is the energy it takes to create that reaction (infrastructure, the energy it takes to fire the lasing material/power the flashbulb, etc. It all adds up to more than what we get out of it)
Unless my understanding of net energy and the process of nuclear fusion is entirely wrong (which it may be, I’m in no way trying to dismiss this completely), this doesn’t seem like that great of a discovery yet. I’ve been hearing nuclear fusion stories for years now, and nothing has come of it.
While the pellet released more energy than the lasers put in, the calculation does not include the 300 or so megajoules needed to power up the lasers in the first place.
Even if my understanding is entirely wrong, we’d still need to actually put in the infrastructure required to create this energy on a vast enough scale. This means we are going against the fossil fuel industry. I highly doubt anyone but the socialist countries will ditch the fossil fuels fast enough to save us.
Again, maybe I’m just doomer, honestly I hope I am. But this is my analysis. It could be wrong, I mean no disrespect
Yes, the process itself is efficient, but what I am pointing out is the energy it takes to create that reaction (infrastructure, the energy it takes to fire the lasing material/power the flashbulb, etc. It all adds up to more than what we get out of it)
While the pellet released more energy than the lasers put in, the calculation does not include the 300 or so megajoules needed to power up the lasers in the first place.
Right, but the point is that the reaction itself is energy positive, which proves that at a larger scale and with more efficient reactors, it can end up being energy positive even when you factor in the rest of the energy cost. This is just a proof of concept, not intended to be an actual power plant, but it is a significant breakthrough, because no one has ever proven that fusion power was actually practically possible before now, only theoretically.
Even if my understanding is entirely wrong, we’d still need to actually put in the infrastructure required to create this energy on a vast enough scale. This means we are going against the fossil fuel industry. I highly doubt anyone but the socialist countries will ditch the fossil fuels fast enough to save us.
Of course, this is just an experiment, and yes, it’s likely, as I said in the post body, that the fossil fuel industry will not allow this to happen in the US, but now that it’s proven to work and the methodology is known, countries like China can start making their own.
As for saving us, I don’t believe that the fossil fuel situation will get bad enough to kill us. I am Gen Z living in the US, and have lots of experience with people in my generation. I haven’t met a single one that defends fossil fuels in any way. In fact, most of them want to destroy the fossil fuel industry entirely. I have hope that my generation will at the very least improve the situation.
I hope you’re right, I really really do.
As for fossil fuels not killing us, I don’t know. Things are already set in stone that will wipe out massive chunks of the human race and our society. I don’t see major change coming soon enough, either. I mean we will be hitting 1.5C by 2030…
Thank you for the discussion and I hope we will be okay
if we’re lucky, China has already gotten to this point without revealing it 🤞
I noticed China have a custom of reveal their scientific achievements only when completely waterpoof, so not impossible.
Sounds cool. Now point guns at oil oligarchs and tell them that this is gonna happen and they can either live with that or… Not.
WAIT JUST HOW BIG OF NEWS IS THIS? ITS REALLY BIG NEWS RIGHT?!
It was a little baby bit of energy that was barely detectable without extensive equipment… but as an overall discovery this is monumental, as there is now definitive proof beyond the theoretic, that fusion power is an achievable process.
With this discovery I will expect very soon that the majority of world powers will immediately begin pouring in insurmountable amounts of money, personnel, and resources into their fusion projects. As the first country that can crack the code and create an operational reactor will basically have unlocked a free energy hack.
That is extremely optomistic. China needs to get to it quick cause if anyone has the will to do it and do it yesterday, it’s China.
It’s not to overly optimistic I think, I could very easily see this transition being on the same level of historical importance as the one of coal/steam to fossil fuels in the early 20th century. But I absolutely see China and the US throwing their full weight behind their fusion projects. China would be able to free itself from the last vestiges of their coal dependent society, and the US would be able to improve its extremely precarious situation as a world superpower.
Fusion will be the key to the 21st century and beyond.
It’s 1.10 more megajoules of energy than the input. It’s not a lot, but considering the input was 2.05 MJ, it’s a significant amount (more than 50%).
Yes, very. This proves that fusion power is possible, and that it actually generates a significant amount of power, even though this is an experimental prototype. Future reactors will get even more efficient.
I’m not entirely sure yet. Read my other comments and let me know if I’m right or wrong based on your understanding
