"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" is an enduring proverb for achieving a difficult task.
American scientists seeking the "holy grail" of clean energy, nuclear fusion, are more than living up to the mantra, as Interesting Engineering detailed.
The San Diego-based DIII-D National Fusion Facility announced it recently surpassed its 200,000th experimental cycle. These cycles are called "shots."
The milestone of 200,000 shots represents "more than a mere number," said Dr. Richard Buttery, the facility's director.
"Those shots represent steady, important progress on the road to fusion energy," he said in a press release.
Fusion's potential to reshape the clean energy industry is an enormously exciting opportunity. Drawing from how the sun heats the earth, it avoids generating the radioactive waste of fission, a competing nuclear power source. It also could "​​provide virtually limitless clean, safe, and affordable energy," according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
That could enable the world to further distance itself from dirty energy sources like coal and oil, which are primary culprits in heating the planet with dangerous consequences. Fusion's promise is why, for decades, scientists like those at the National Fusion Facility have been chasing ways to harness its power.
DIII-D's research and use of the tokamak have been a part of some major breakthroughs.
One example is unveiling Fusion Synthesis Engine (FUSE), an advanced open-source software program that researchers can use as a cheat sheet or to share progress around the world.
The team also has made key advancements when it comes to plasma density, and the creation of "the world's most powerful fusion plasmas in novel configurations."
The global fusion industry has attracted over $6.2 billion in private investments, according to the U.S. Fusion Industry Association. DIII-D embraces the movement to get to fusion energy as quickly as possible.
"Leveraging our world-class capabilities and hundreds of subject experts, we are proud to be a catalyst for the commercial fusion industry," said Dr. Wayne Solomon, vice president of magnetic fusion energy at General Atomics, in the press release.
Commercial fusion has seen numerous exciting achievements worldwide in recent months.
A UK company claims they have a reactor that could power over 70,000 homes. Zap Energy, a U.S.-based startup, says it has a device that can generate temperatures as hot as the sun's core. Meanwhile, scientists in China say they can use AI-powered neural networks to measure ultrahot plasma in real time to facilitate safe reactions.
DIII-D has over 100 participating organizations in the program, including 16 commercial entities. AI-leader NVIDIA recently joined the fold and could play a key role in providing computational technology to make fusion safer and more scalable.
The 200,000 shots milestone should provide more inspiration for scientists looking to slowly but surely realize an exciting energy future.
"Each one is a challenge solved, a question answered, a career begun or progressed, or a new technology proven," said Buttery.
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