Tokamak Energy and advanced superconducting technology are driving the race to achieve practical fusion energy by 2040.
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| Rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) and high-temperature superconductors are revolutionizing nuclear fusion, promising limitless, zero-carbon energy. Image Courtesy: Sky News |
Oxfordshire, UK — January 18, 2025:
A remarkable material, rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO), is being utilized by an Oxfordshire-based company for its superconducting properties, potentially bringing nuclear fusion closer to reality. This ceramic-like substance, suspended in mid-air above a copper strip, showcases magnetic levitation—a phenomenon known as superconducting magnetic levitation—when exposed to liquid nitrogen at minus 200°C, a much warmer temperature than most superconductors require.
REBCO's ability to function as a superconductor at relatively high temperatures is of immense value to nuclear fusion scientists, particularly in creating powerful and compact magnetic fields. These fields are essential for confining the plasma of hydrogen isotopes, like deuterium and tritium, needed to initiate fusion reactions. This magnetic containment system could lead to harnessing the immense energy produced by fusion, potentially providing a limitless, zero-carbon energy source.
One of the key players in this exciting development is Tokamak Energy, an Oxfordshire-based company that aims to build the Spherical Tokamak for Electricity Production (STEP), a fusion reactor capable of supplying power to the national grid. Tokamak Energy is at the forefront of advancing high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets, which promise to make the process of achieving nuclear fusion more feasible and cost-effective. By reducing the size and cost of necessary magnetic fields, HTS magnets could enable more manageable fusion reactors, offering a much-needed solution to a longstanding energy challenge.
However, the global race to achieve practical fusion energy remains fiercely competitive, with significant investments flowing into fusion research worldwide. In the UK, the government has recently pledged £410 million for fusion research, underscoring the importance of continued funding and innovation in this high-stakes race. The hope is that by 2040, fusion power will become a reality, with STEP serving as the world's first operational fusion reactor.