The second phase of nuclear fusion testing kicks off in Japan

Nuclear fusion researchers are upping the ante: Following the successful conclusion ofexperiments at the Joint European Torus (JET) in the UK, the EUROfusion team is now shifting focus to a EU-Japan collaborative project based in Japan, according to a statement. The new EUR 600 mn reactor was inaugurated in Naka, Japan, dethroning JET as the world’s most powerful tokamak. The JT-60SA reactor will have a capacity of up to 41 MW of heating power compared to the 38 MW reactor used for JET.

More about the reactor: The tokamak is designed to confine superheated gas called plasma at temperatures up to 200 mn degrees Celsius, over 10x hotter than the sun's core. This extreme environment allows for the replication of the fusion reactions that power stars, a process with the potential to revolutionize energy production. The JT-60SA reactor boasts several advancements over its predecessor generating a more powerful magnetic field. Additionally, the JT-60SA can operate in a wider range of plasma configurations, allowing researchers to study different scenarios for optimizing future fusion reactors.

Why is this important? Fusion has the potential to be a virtually limitless energy source generating four times more power per kg of fuel than fission reactions and nearly 4 mn times more energy than burning oil or coal, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) explains. The fuel needed for fusion energy generation is readily available in seawater and the process itself generates minimal radioactive waste.

Building on past success: The JET team set a new record for nuclear fusion power production last February generating 69 megajoules from just 0.2 milligrams of fuel. The project is part of the UK’s plans to kick off operations on the world's first fusion power plant in the 2040s with the project expected to be delivered by a new nuclear body following four decades of research.

Others are jumping on the fusion wagon: US Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry launched an international plan to accelerate global fusion energy development at COP28. The international engagement plan will see the US cooperate with 35 other governments to accelerate efforts to harness the zero-emissions energy source.

And there’s more to come: The 20-year work cycle carried out on JT-60SA will inform a project double its size being built in France called the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).