A Japanese startup, Helical Fusion, aims to build the world’s first nuclear fusion reactor capable of producing power indefinitely, with plans to launch a pilot reactor in 2034 and begin commercial operations by the end of that decade. The company is leveraging Japan’s significant investment in research at the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) to commercialize the technology.
The proposed “pilot reactor” will have a generation capacity of 50-100 megawatts, according to CEO Takaya Taguchi. This achievement could greatly enhance Japan’s energy security by allowing it to produce its own energy and potentially export it, making it an energy importer no more.
While several countries have attempted to harness the power of fusion, a clean source of energy, none have successfully developed a commercially viable reactor. Scientists face significant challenges in generating more energy from the reaction than the energy required to heat the fuel.
Nuclear fusion differs from fission, used in current commercial reactors, as it involves uniting rather than splitting atoms to produce energy.
The NIFS has one of the largest fusion labs and has reached temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius and plasma durations of nearly an hour. However, Helical Fusion still faces significant challenges, including the need to raise ¥1 trillion (approximately $8.8 billion) to build the pilot reactor and develop the necessary technology and regulations.
Source: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy-and-environment/3139151/japanese-startup-world-first-nuclear-fusion-reactor/