It was a project to create a machine that could generate atomic fusion, like the stars do. Researchers wanted to design a reactor that would produce cheap, non-polluting energy. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (Iter) was started in 2010 and was meant to be finished by 2020.
However, the project has been delayed many times due to cost overruns, Covid-19, corrosion, and redesigns. Now, it’s expected to be finished around 2039, with energy-producing fusion reactions not happening until then. The original budget of $6 billion has grown to $20 billion, and some experts think it could increase even more.
Other private companies are now working on similar projects and claim they can finish their reactors faster and cheaper than Iter. Some scientists warn that Iter’s delays mean the rest of the world has moved on, making its project less relevant.
The goal of Iter is to create a reactor called a tokamak, which uses magnetic fields to contain a plasma (a gas-like state) at extremely high temperatures. This will cause the nuclei of two light atoms to combine and release energy. Containing the plasma is very difficult, and Iter has faced many challenges and delays.
Despite these issues, some researchers believe that Iter still has important work to do, such as studying how to generate tritium (a rare hydrogen isotope) at a fusion reactor site. Others point out that fusion power could help fight climate change by producing limited carbon emissions. However, it may arrive too late to make a significant difference in the short term.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/aug/03/is-the-dream-of-nuclear-fusion-dead-why-the-international-experimental-reactor-is-in-big-trouble