The Technologies Fueling the Future of Fusion

Fusion, the process powering our sun, has the potential to provide a virtually limitless supply of energy. But harnessing it on Earth requires researchers to overcome some of the most complex challenges in physics and engineering.

Here are six ways experts at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) are driving innovations in both technology and theory to make this abundant source of power a reality:

In magnetic fusion, hot matter is confined by powerful magnetic fields. That technique needs new, high-temperature superconducting magnets that can operate efficiently and reliably. Berkeley Lab scientists are developing novel concepts for magnets (and ways to improve their performance) as part of the lab’s Superconducting Magnet Program. They also partner with industry to transfer the lab’s magnet expertise. That knowledge covers everything from the ground up: modeling how high-temperature superconductors behave, designing and winding superconducting cables into magnets, optimizing magnet connections and cooling, and keeping magnets running smoothly. Berkeley Lab also leads the U.S. Magnet Development Program, which pushes the limits of superconducting magnet technology for accelerators in high-energy physics; technical advances in that field often find crossovers and benefit fusion (and vice versa).