Major breakthrough brings world one step closer to achieving clean energy

Scientists have set a new record in nuclear fusion performance, bringing the world one step closer to achieving clean, unlimited energy.

We’re one step closer to a cleaner world.

In a remarkable advancement, scientists have set a new record in nuclear fusion performance.

The breakthrough was achieved at the Wendelstein 7-X reactor, an advanced fusion stellarator located in Germany.

Scientists recorded the impressive high triple product — a key metric the number of particles, temperature and energy confinement time essential for self-sustaining fusion reactions — which it sustained for 43 seconds.

Wendelstein 7-X is a large stellarator in Germany. Picture: Max Planck Institute

While it may not seem like much, it’s a huge leap for the process and a big step towards clean, safe and virtually limitless energy.

“The new record is a tremendous achievement by the international team,” Thomas Klinger, head of operations at Wendelstein 7-X, said in a statement.

“Elevating the triple product to tokamak levels during long plasma pulses marks another important milestone on the way toward a power-plant-capable stellarator.”

The advancement made at the Wendelstein 7-X reactor is another to the list of breakthroughs that brings the world a significant step closer to a world with clean energy.

The importance of nuclear fusion

Nuclear fusion is the process by which two atomic nuclei fuse together, which unleashes large amounts of energy.

It’s a process that can happen naturally - for instance, in stars such as the sun.

The sun is fuelled by hydrogen atoms that are fused together to create helium and other heavy elements that expel huge amounts of energy. In this case, the energy is the heat and light we experience from Earth.

Since the theory of nuclear fusion was understood in the 1930s, scientists have been on a mission to recreate and harness it.

Scientists are on a mission to recreate nuclear fission. Picture: Max Planck Institute

Why? Well, it’s often regarded as the “holy grail” of energy production.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, nuclear fusion generates four times more energy per kilogram of fuel than nuclear fission (the process by which a heavy atomic nucleus is split into smaller nuclei, currently used in nuclear power plants), and releases four million times more energy than using coal, oil, or gas.

That means that on Earth, if it can be reproduced, it has the potential to provide clean, safe, and affordable energy in quantities that could service humanity’s future needs and solve the climate crisis.

When can it actually be achieved?

The timeline for nuclear fission to be achieved on Earth depends on several factors.

Nuclear fission research is currently carried out across more than 50 countries, and the recent breakthrough at the Wendelstein 7-X is a testament to the international collaboration required for making advancements in scientific research.

To achieve the end goal of clean energy requires further global collaboration and partnership.

Another issue the industry faces is the development of the necessary infrastructure to support this energy source.

In December 2023, the world’s biggest experimental nuclear fusion reactor was launched in Japan.

A joint project between the European Union and Japan, the goal of the JT-60SA reactor was to further research the possibility of fusion as a source of net energy.

EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson said the JT-60SA was “a milestone for fusion history”.