Global Development and Readiness of Nuclear Fusion Technology as the Alternative Source for Clean Energy Supply

Mustakimah Mohamed, Nur Diyana Zakuan, Tengku Nur Adibah Tengku Hassan, Serene Sow Mun Lock and Azmi Mohd Shariff ()
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Mustakimah Mohamed: CO2 Research Centre (CO2RES), Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak, Malaysia
Nur Diyana Zakuan: CO2 Research Centre (CO2RES), Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak, Malaysia
Tengku Nur Adibah Tengku Hassan: CO2 Research Centre (CO2RES), Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak, Malaysia
Serene Sow Mun Lock: CO2 Research Centre (CO2RES), Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak, Malaysia
Azmi Mohd Shariff: CO2 Research Centre (CO2RES), Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 10, 1-37

Abstract: Nuclear fusion is understood as an energy reaction that does not emit greenhouse gases, and it has been considered as a long-term source of low-carbon electricity that is favourable to curtail rapid climate change. Fusion offers a pathway to resolve energy security and the unequal distribution of energy resources since seawater is its ultimate fuel source and a few grams of fuel can generate mega kilowatts of power. The development and testing of new materials and technologies are unceasing to achieve the net fusion energy through national and international collaboration as well as private partnerships. The ever-growing number of research works report various designs and magnet-based fusion devices, such as stellarators, lasers, and tokamaks. This article provides an overview on the utilization of nuclear energy as a clean energy source, as well as the strategies and progress towards establishing successful commercial fusion energy to the grid and transition to a reliable clean energy source. The overview focuses on the fusion nuclear development in five major countries, UK, US, China, Japan, and Russia. Identified technical and financial challenges are also described at the end of this article. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) has been an international reference program for fusion energy development and most developed countries with nuclear development capacity are aiming to complete their in-house fusion energy facilities in parallel to ITER. Many fusion programs are finishing the conceptual design and shifting into the phase of engineering design for the planned DEMO fusion facilities. The significant challenges were identified from the perspective of device efficiency and robustness, sustainable funding, and facility maintenance and safety, which must be addressed diligently to realize fusion energy as alternative clean energy that mitigates climate change and supports the goals of energy security.

Keywords: clean energy; fission reaction; fusion reaction; ITER; fusion devices; tokamaks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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