Fusion is a sustainable energy source inspired by the sun. Work has begun to assemble giant components to build an experimental nuclear fusion reactor in France that is expected to start up in 2035.
READ MORE: InsideIf we want to rely on nuclear fusion to power the world's homes, the first step is making reactors that can run as hot and as long as possible.
China's 'artificial sun' reactor - officially called 'Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak' - has set a new world record, bringing the goal of limitless clean energy ever closer. The reactor, located in Hefei in Anhui province, generated a steady loop of plasma for 1,066 seconds at 180million°F - seven times hotter than the sun's core
'A fusion device must achieve stable operation at high efficiency for thousands of seconds to enable the self-sustaining circulation of plasma, which is essential for the continuous power generation of future fusion plants,' he said. 'The ultimate goal of an artificial sun is to create nuclear fusion like the sun, providing humanity with an endless, clean energy source,' the release says.
A staff member performs an upgrade to the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences on April 28, 2021 Inside, under the influence of extreme heat and pressure, gaseous hydrogen fuel becomes a plasma – a hot, electrically charged gas.
The only by-products of fusion reactions are small amounts of helium, an inert gas which can be safely released without harming the environment. Gong Xianzu, head of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak Physics and Experimental Operations, watches the experimental data on January 15, 2025 in Hefei, Anhui Province of China
This is why fusion is still in the research and development phase - and fission is already making electricity.Advertisement It's worth bearing in mind that EAST, as the name suggests, is China's 'experimental' reactor project – and may yet pave the way for the first nuclear fusion power plants. Fusion fuel is made up of deuterium and tritium, which are isotopes of hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, giving scientists hopes of 'unlimited energy'.
Construction of ITER, the world's largest nuclear fusion project that will replicate the reactions that power the sun in pursuit of clean power Built and operated jointly by Europe and Japan, JT-60SA will be the world's largest fusion reactor until the completion of ITER in France. HOW A FUSION REACTOR WORKSFusion is the process by which a gas is heated up and separated into its constituent ions and electrons.
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