Sun on Earth? Scientists make dramatic advances in fusion energy

The sun is absolutely massive — it contains 99.86 percent of all the mass in the solar system, with enough volume to fit 1.3 million Earth-sized planets inside. Like all stars, the sun is a vast nuclear reactor, smashing hydrogen atoms together to produce helium atoms in a process called fusion — thus creating the energy that sustains life on Earth. Now, scientists are edging closer to creating fusion energy systems that may someday produce vast quantities of inexpensive energy without generating radioactive waste like traditional nuclear energy.

Scientists have pursued fusion energy for decades. With its immense potential, some consider it a holy grail of renewable energy technology. Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has poured billions into fusion technologies, believing that they could pave the way for future generations of clean nuclear power. Gates also argues that fusion technology is crucial for meeting rising energy demand and reducing carbon emissions.

In February 2022, EUROfusion researchers used a device called a tokamak to break records with a five-second, 59-megajoule pulse of released energy. This output tripled the previous record of 21.7 megajoules, released in 1997.

In Boston, Commonwealth Fusion Systems claims they are on track to have a working fusion reactor up and running within the next six years. Some experts believe that fusion power plants may be commercially viable by the 2030s.

Most fusion methods now involve creating at least 100 million degrees Celsius plasmas. Atoms inside the plasma move so rapidly that when they collide, they fuse together and release energy. The natural process at the sun’s core is the same, with the fusion reaction releasing energy as heat and light.