What is Fusion and why use it?
• Fusion occurs when Deuterium and Tritium (isotopes of Hydrogen) are forced to bond together to create Helium and a very energetic particle called a neutron. This neutron can be captured to heat water to drive a steam turbine. . • Fusion offers: • Plentiful fuel (at a scale that can fully meet mankind’s long term needs) • Energy Security (sea water and the Earth’s crust are the source of the fuel) • Sufficiently Clean energy (there are no greenhouse gas emissions, and no long-lived radioactivity) • Safe operation (there is no stored energy, so ‘melt down’ or catastrophic failure are impossible) • Complementary solutions (“magnetic fusion” facilities such as ITER, and “inertial fusion” using lasers) • The benefits of fusion energy cannot be overstated in a global setting where climate change, pollution, energy security and the ever increasing demand for consumption represent a principal challenge facing mankind. It is not a short term fix, but rather a long-term, sustainable solution t
