Scientists at the US government research facility, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, have announced they achieved net energy gain in a fusion reaction a second time.
The California-based scientists were able to replicate their experiment again, which could one day lead to a new era of zero-carbon green energy with near-unlimited potential.
The news came less than a year after the first results stunned the world.
The repeat of the breakthrough came on July 30, 2023, the US Department of Energy reported.
In the December 2023 experiments, the US scientists briefly achieved what’s known as fusion ignition by generating 3.15 megajoules of energy output after the laser delivered 2.05 megajoules to the target.
“This is a landmark achievement for the researchers and staff at the National Ignition Facility who have dedicated their careers to seeing fusion ignition become a reality, and this milestone will undoubtedly spark even more discovery,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said at a press conference announcing the news.
It has taken some 70 years of trying to get to this point, so fusion could still be many decades away, not enough time to stop dangerous global warming.
Fusion, could, in theory, power a home for hundreds of years with just a small amount of material. By smashing together light elements, such as hydrogen to form heavier elements, fusion can release a huge burst of energy.
Global Race for Fusion
As the US government reports major findings, other nations, including China are working on their own fusion experiments.
According to Chinese state media, researchers are boasting that the country could have fusion within 30 years.
China is working on what it calls an ‘artificial sun’ in experiments at the Southwestern Institute of Physics under the state-owned China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
The Chinese government have proclaimed major breakthroughs at the facility, however, results are not yet clear.
