Blog Post

Fusion Power gets a step closer to reality thanks to new breakthrough

Richard Simmonds • May 26, 2021

Pollution and radiation free generated electricity has long been a dream for many in the energy sector and it seems as though that dream may have come closer to reality after a breakthrough by scientists at the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s MAST Upgrade experiment.

The power of the sun in the palm of your hand

Fusion power has long been theoretical with the first experiments in the technology dating back to the 1930s.

Now, however the scientists at MAST have made a significant breakthrough that could make commercially viable fusion power possible. The development of a new exhaust system that can handle the incredible amounts of heat generated during the fusion process could be a game changer.

Generating electricity from fusion is still in the experimental stage even after all this time, but it is considered a holy grail for potentially creating a clean renewable source of power something that is in desperate need if the world is to achieve NetZero carbon targets and battle the effects of fossil fuels and manmade climate change.

Also read: A Brief History of Energy - Fusion Power

Overcoming a challenge

Fusion power stations utilise a machine called a tokamak to enable the fusing of hydrogen atoms, the process that releases energy that can then be used to make electricity. This process creates temperatures as high as 100 million C that results in expensive parts needing to be replaced often.

The new breakthrough exhaust system called Super-X means that the costs of running and maintaining a fusion power station will be cheaper as well as reducing the price of the energy produced.

The Super-X system is being regarded as a game changer by researchers.

“The results are the moment our team at UKAEA has been working towards for almost a decade. We built Mast Upgrade to solve the exhaust problem for compact fusion power plants and the signs are that we’ve succeeded. Super-X reduces the heat on the exhaust system from a blowtorch level down to more like you’d find in a car engine. This could mean it would only have to be replaced once during the lifetime of a power plant,” said Dr Andrew Kirk, lead scientist at Mast Upgrade.

Despite this latest breakthrough the dream of viable and commercially friendly fusion power is still a long ways off. A new UK based prototype fusion power plant is scheduled to come online in the 2040s.

Also read: Renewable Energy Ideas That Might Work

Are you looking to join the energy supply market? Dyball Associates gives energy companies the option to enter the UK market by purchasing an off-the-shelf supply business or by using our energy market consultancy services to create a new one. We specialise in both gas and electricity market entry and draw on over 25 years of experience to deliver the optimum route to market.

Energy Supply Business