Getting back to exploring the list of Engineering Challenges facing the world in the 21st century (The Challenges Ahead), the second item on the list relates to the successful development of Fusion energy as a power source (Nuclear Fusion Entry in the Engineering Challenges).
Nuclear power has been with us for a number of years, with varying degrees of success. Here in central Illinois, a great deal of the area’s power is generated by a nuclear power plant in Clinton, Illinois, which operates safely and provides ample power for the area (Official Website for Clinton Power Station). Due to a few isolated incidents worldwide, however, nuclear power still has a negative public image in some areas. And while there are certainly things to take into consideration regarding the safety and security of nuclear power plants, overall they have less environmental impact than coal or oil burning plants, and provide energy to areas where wind or hydroelectric power are impossible to implement.
Some of the dangers of nuclear power, however, can be eliminated or avoided with the successful development of Fusion power plants.
The process of fusion is the nuclear process which provides the sun’s energy. The intense gravitational pressure and heat of the sun force atoms to combine into larger atoms, releasing energy in the process. Obviously, recreating the pressure environment of the sun on earth is virtually impossible, but the difference can be made up with increased temperatures. (A more complete explanation of fusion is available as part of the “Engineering Challenges” link above.)
There are several terrific reasons why fusion poses such an alluring potential source for energy production, not the least of which is the abundance of usable materials for the fusion reaction here on earth. Elements like Lithium and Deuterium are either incredibly abundant, or can be generated simply by separating the hydrogen from hydrogen-oxygen bonds in water.
Additionally, the fusion process provides a safe alternative to traditional fission power plants, since the fusion process can be controlled and stopped quickly in the event of an emergency. By simply ceasing the fuel feed to the fusion reaction, the process is stopped and adverse effects can be avoided, unlike the meltdown potential that concerns most people when it comes to traditional fission reactors.
On the conservative side of an estimate, fusion power is at least 20-25 years away, and is not the quick fix that many people would like it to be. However, the possibility that a safe, affordable and less environmentally impactful method of energy generation exists, especially with the exponential growth in power needs and demands that the next several decades are likely to see, warrants extensive exploration and development.
For more information on the fusion process and its possible development as an energy source, check out the following Wikipedia entry, as well as the additional links and resources cited at the end of the article (Wikipedia Page on Nuclear Fusion).
