3:30–4:30 pm Maria Goeppert-Mayer Lecture Hall, KPTC 106
Fusion energy: when?
Steven Cowley, Princeton
Faculty host: Young-Kee Kim
In a remarkable 1920 lecture, Arthur Eddington speculated that fusion might become the ultimate long-term energy source. Indeed, the realization of that vision will be revolutionary. The National Academy's 2021 report, Bringing Fusion to the US Grid, recommended that: “The Department of Energy and the private sector should produce net electricity in a fusion pilot plant in the United States in the 2035—2040 timeframe." While ambitious, recent breakthroughs in both magnetic and inertial fusion—combined with a surge of private-sector investment—make this goal plausible, if still formidable. This talk will outline the progress made and the critical scientific issues that remain.