Nuclear Fusion: Energy for the Future?

When it comes to energy sources, nuclear fusion used to be the wallflower. But now, scientists are working to see if it could be a safe and environmentally-friendly way of producing electricity.

The energy crisis has rocketed from a textbook concept into the most pressing political issue of our time. Future energy supplies are increasingly vulnerable and global consumption is expected to escalate dramatically, increasing by 71% in 2030 and continuing to rise. Energy shortages would have a dramatic impact on every area of modern life: business, transport, food, health and communications. This looming crisis has drawn scientific minds and encouraged radical research into arcane technologies, such as the once neglected area of nuclear fusion.

Credit: NASA

The sun is a natural fusion reactor.

Why nuclear fusion?

Our sun, and all the other stars in the universe, are powered by nuclear fusion. Similar to traditional nuclear power, or fission, it can produce huge amounts of carbon-neutral energy. But there is one vital difference: no dangerous, long-lasting radioactive waste. Waste from nuclear fusion is only radioactive for 50–70 years, compared to the thousands of years of radioactivity that result from fission. “This is a long-term supply of energy,” says Professor Mike Dunne of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire. “You can get a lot of energy from a small amount of fuel and the by-products are benign.”

Raw materials for nuclear fusion – water and silicon – are plentiful and widespread on Earth. This should prevent the situations where energy supplies can be threatened by political instability; as demonstrated in January 2007 when Russia shut down a main oil pipeline to Europe after a political spat with Belarus.

Nuclear fusion could also help meet international climate change targets, such as those agreed by politicians in Washington last month. Current zero-carbon technologies are unlikely to meet our energy demands this century. Nuclear power is deeply unpopular while renewable energy sources – wind, solar and tidal – yield relatively little energy for their high cost. But nuclear fusion could render carbon dioxide-producing fossil fuels obsolete by 2100.