- • carbon emissions. The only by-products of fusion reactions are small amounts of helium, • carbon emissions. The only by-products of fusion reactions are small amounts of helium, which is an inert gas that will not add to atmospheric pollution.
- • fuels. Deuterium can be extracted from water and tritium is produced from lithium, • fuels. Deuterium can be extracted from water and tritium is produced from lithium, which is found in the earth's crust. Fuel supplies will therefore last for millions of years.
- • efficiency. One kilogram of fusion fuel can provide the same amount of energy as 10 • efficiency. One kilogram of fusion fuel can provide the same amount of energy as 10 million kilograms of fossil fuel.
- • long-lived radioactive waste. Only plant components become radioactive and these will be • long-lived radioactive waste. Only plant components become radioactive and these will be safe to recycle or dispose of conventionally within 100 years.
- • The small amounts of fuel used in fusion devices (about the weight of a postage stamp at • The small amounts of fuel used in fusion devices (about the weight of a postage stamp at any one time) means that a large-scale nuclear accident is not possible.
- • power. Fusion power plants should provide a baseload supply of large amounts of • power. Fusion power plants should provide a baseload supply of large amounts of electricity, at costs that are estimated to be broadly similar to other energy sources.

##### See also: Why fusion is needed

### Progress in fusion research

Many of the scientific hurdles in fusion have now been overcome by researchers. The world's largest tokamak, JET (Joint European Torus), has produced 16 megawatts of fusion power and proved the technical feasibility of fusion using deuterium and tritium, currently considered the most efficient fuels. The challenge now is to prove fusion can work on a power plant scale.

### The next steps

International fusion research is following a roadmap to achieve power generation within 30 years. It focuses on three main projects:

- • – a multinational project that is being built in the south of France. ITER will be a 500 • – a multinational project that is being built in the south of France. ITER will be a 500 megawatt tokamak (equivalent to a small power plant) and aims to confirm that fusion power will be possible on a commercial scale;
- • (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility) – a device that will test the materials • (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility) – a device that will test the materials needed in a fusion power station, planned to operate in parallel with ITER;
- • – a demonstration power plant supplying fusion electricity to the grid. This is being • – a demonstration power plant supplying fusion electricity to the grid. This is being designed now and would be constructed during ITER and IFMIF operation. If successful, it will be followed by the first generation of commercial fusion power stations.

##### See also: Achieving fusion power

### Fusion in the UK

The United Kingdom's fusion research programme is based at Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) in Oxfordshire. The work is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and by the European Union under the Euratom treaty.