Are there any real-world applications or projects utilizing fusion energy, or is it still purely theoretical?
While fusion energy is still in the experimental stage and commercial-scale fusion power plants have not been built yet, there are real-world applications and projects that utilize fusion energy. These applications focus on research, development, and increasing our understanding of fusion as a potential future energy source. Some examples include specialized experiments to study plasma physics, magnetic confinement devices like tokamaks, stellarators, and inertial confinement devices such as laser-induced fusion experiments.
Long answer
Fusion energy has captured significant attention due to its potential as a clean, safe, and virtually limitless energy source. Although commercial-scale fusion power plants are not operational yet, there are several real-world projects that aim to harness the power of fusion for practical purposes.
One prominent example is the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project. ITER is an international collaboration involving 35 countries that aims to design, construct, and operate the world’s largest tokamak-style experimental device. It is being constructed in southern France and will demonstrate the feasibility of achieving a self-sustaining fusion reaction by producing 500 megawatts of net thermal fusion power from an input of 50 megawatts.
Apart from ITER, numerous smaller-scale research reactors exist around the world. These include devices such as the Joint European Torus (JET) in the United Kingdom, DIII-D in the United States, EAST in China, KSTAR in South Korea, ASDEX Upgrade in Germany, and many more. These devices conduct experiments on plasma physics to improve our understanding of plasma behavior under extreme conditions.
In addition to magnetic confinement approaches like tokamaks and stellarators, there are also projects exploring inertial confinement fusion (ICF). ICF relies on powerful lasers or particle beams to compress and heat tiny targets containing deuterium-tritium fuel. Facilities like the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the United States aim to achieve ignition—where the fusion reactions release more energy than the laser energy input.
Furthermore, fusion has found applications in other domains beyond power generation. For example, fusion reactions are employed in nuclear weapons to release a tremendous amount of energy. However, this application is highly controlled and controversial due to its destructive nature.
While fusion energy is still primarily in the experimental realm and faces significant technical challenges for commercialization, these real-world projects have provided valuable insights and advancements toward achieving practical fusion power generation.