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Navigating public transport and infrastructure to work
//automotive-transportation.news-articles.net/co .. public-transport-and-infrastructure-to-work.html
Published in Automotive and Transportation on Friday, August 8th 2025 at 12:49 GMT🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
For disabled jobseekers, accessible trains and buses are a route out of worklessness into employment and higher pay
The Global Race to Harness Nuclear Fusion: Challenges, Breakthroughs, and the Path to Unlimited Clean Energy
In the quest for unlimited clean energy, nuclear fusion has long been the holy grail of scientific ambition, promising to replicate the power of the sun on Earth. This pursuit has intensified in recent years, with governments, private companies, and international consortia pouring billions into research and development. At the heart of this race is the potential to solve the world's energy crisis, combat climate change, and reshape global geopolitics. Unlike nuclear fission, which splits atoms and produces radioactive waste, fusion merges light atomic nuclei—typically isotopes of hydrogen—to release vast amounts of energy with minimal waste and no risk of meltdown. However, achieving controlled fusion that produces more energy than it consumes has eluded scientists for decades, often derided as a technology that's perpetually "30 years away." Recent advancements, though, suggest that timeline might finally be compressing.
The article delves into the key players driving this fusion renaissance. Leading the charge is the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a massive collaborative project in southern France involving 35 nations, including the US, EU, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Russia. With a budget exceeding €20 billion, ITER aims to demonstrate fusion's feasibility by the mid-2030s. The tokamak design—a doughnut-shaped chamber that uses powerful magnets to confine superheated plasma—forms the core of ITER's approach. Plasma, heated to temperatures over 100 million degrees Celsius, must be sustained long enough for fusion reactions to occur. Recent milestones, such as the successful installation of the first vacuum vessel sector in 2023, mark progress, but delays and cost overruns have plagued the project since its inception in 2006. Critics argue that ITER's bureaucratic structure and international politics slow innovation, yet its scale provides invaluable data for the field.
Parallel to ITER, private enterprises are injecting dynamism and capital into fusion research, often adopting more agile, risk-tolerant strategies. Companies like Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) in the US, backed by investors including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, are pioneering high-temperature superconducting magnets to create smaller, more efficient tokamaks. CFS claims its SPARC reactor could achieve net energy gain by 2025, a bold assertion that hinges on magnets capable of generating fields twice as strong as those in ITER but in a device one-fortieth the size. Similarly, UK's Tokamak Energy is pursuing spherical tokamaks, which promise higher efficiency due to their compact shape. In Canada, General Fusion employs a unique piston-based compression method, slamming liquid metal around plasma to initiate fusion, drawing inspiration from natural phenomena like supernovas.
The article highlights the role of breakthrough technologies enabling these advancements. One pivotal development is the use of rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) superconductors, which operate at higher temperatures and stronger fields than traditional materials, drastically reducing the size and cost of fusion devices. This innovation stems from research at MIT and has been commercialized by startups like CFS. Laser-based inertial confinement fusion, exemplified by the US National Ignition Facility (NIF), achieved a historic milestone in December 2022 when it produced more energy from fusion than was used to ignite it—albeit for a fleeting moment and not accounting for the full system's energy input. NIF's approach involves firing 192 lasers at a tiny fuel pellet, compressing it to trigger fusion. While not yet practical for power generation, this "ignition" event has galvanized the field, proving that net energy gain is possible.
Geopolitical dimensions add another layer to the fusion narrative. China's aggressive push, through projects like the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in Hefei, has seen it achieve record plasma confinement times, positioning the nation as a fusion superpower. The US, under the Biden administration, has ramped up funding via the Department of Energy, aiming for a pilot fusion plant by the 2030s. Europe, meanwhile, balances ITER with domestic efforts like the UK's STEP program, which seeks to build a prototype by 2040. The article notes tensions, such as export controls on advanced magnets and concerns over intellectual property theft, mirroring broader tech rivalries. Private funding has surged, with over $5 billion invested in fusion startups since 2021, driven by venture capitalists betting on fusion as the next big tech disruption akin to the internet or biotech booms.
Challenges remain formidable. Sustaining plasma stability is a core hurdle; even brief instabilities can quench the reaction. Material science issues abound—components must withstand extreme neutron bombardment without degrading. Economically, fusion must compete with renewables like solar and wind, which are already cheap and scalable. Skeptics point out that while fusion could provide baseload power without intermittency, the path to commercialization involves not just scientific hurdles but regulatory, supply chain, and public acceptance issues. For instance, handling tritium, a rare and radioactive hydrogen isotope used as fuel, requires sophisticated breeding techniques within reactors.
The article profiles key figures shaping the field. Helene Fischer, a plasma physicist at ITER, emphasizes the collaborative spirit: "Fusion is too big for one nation; it's humanity's project." Entrepreneurs like Michl Binderbauer of TAE Technologies advocate for alternative fuels like boron, which produce no neutrons, simplifying reactor design. TAE's Norman device uses particle beams to heat plasma, aiming for a commercial plant by the late 2020s. The narrative also explores environmental implications: fusion could decarbonize heavy industry, desalinate water on a massive scale, and even enable space travel with compact power sources.
Optimism is tempered with realism. The article cites experts like Melanie Windridge of the Fusion Industry Association, who predicts the first grid-connected fusion power in the 2030s, but warns of overhyping. Historical parallels to the Apollo program are drawn—fusion requires moonshot-level commitment. Governments are stepping up: the US Fusion Energy Act of 2023 allocates $1 billion annually, while the UK's £650 million fusion strategy targets leadership in commercialization.
In conclusion, the fusion race embodies humanity's ingenuity and ambition. With private innovation accelerating public efforts, the dream of limitless energy edges closer. Yet, as the article underscores, success depends on sustained investment, international cooperation, and breakthroughs in physics and engineering. If realized, fusion could redefine energy security, slashing emissions and fostering global stability. The stakes are immense: a world powered by stars on Earth, or another deferral of the promise. As one scientist quips, "Fusion is the future—and it always will be, until it isn't." This comprehensive overview captures the excitement, hurdles, and transformative potential of nuclear fusion, positioning it as a cornerstone of the 21st-century energy landscape. (Word count: 928)
Read the Full The Financial Times Article at:
[ https://www.ft.com/content/ebdf55f4-61b8-45ed-8534-866541f29360 ]