I am Priyanca Ford, founder of Kronos Fusion Energy, on a mission to transform the world by tapping into the potential of fusion energy
Energy is not great for peace. Countries go to war over fossil fuels, argue over nuclear power and commit some of the worst atrocities of human slavery to mine the materials we need to power our world. The narrative of fighting over limited resources is as old as time itself. Fusion energy may help rewrite the story of dirty and dangerous energy by bringing power to the world cheaply, safely and without dangerous waste.
Quickly Deployable Power System May Prevent Violence
Scientists are working on ways to produce fusion energy in a compact system that could be deployed quickly into very remote areas and disaster zones, bringing power to people who need it most. Several companies, including ours, are working to make these kinds of systems commercially viable.
If a compact fusion system could be built and sitting at the ready, it’s possible that FEMA could deploy it expediently to an area devastated by a tornado, hurricane or forest fire that knocked out the area’s traditional power source. This could allow people in affected zones to return to their lives more quickly and decrease one of the stressors that are linked to an increase in violence against women and girls after a natural disaster.
Fusion Energy Could Make Food And Water More Accessible
In the world’s history of human suffering, lack of food and water is at the top of the list. In areas without fertile soil or adequate rainfall, the shortage of food and water poses a deadly risk directly through famine and drought and indirectly through violence over limited access to these scarce resources.
With affordable, easily deployable fusion energy systems, areas of the world without sufficient food and water could turn to ocean water desalinization to provide clean water and to hydroponic farms to grow food without expensive pesticides and chemicals. Both of these are heavy energy consumers, and therefore out of the economic reach of the communities that need them most. With fusion energy, ocean water desalination and abundant hydroponic farms could become a reality.
Why Aren’t We Using Fusion Already?
Fusion energy technology has made leaps and bounds since its origin in the 1950s, but the technology still doesn’t exist to bring fusion energy to the mass market. With the recent explosion of AI technology, fusion scientists are optimistic that AI could help solve the problems preventing fusion from making it to the mainstream, including running massive amounts of simulations to test different reactor materials, expediting the aspects of plasma physics that need to be solved before fusion reactors can be constructed and finding ways to safely contain reactions while still generating and capturing the maximum amount of energy.
All we have to do is wait for science to catch up to today’s theories and tomorrow’s research to make fusion energy a reality.
What Fusion Business Leaders Can Do To Build Momentum
While the commercialization of fusion energy is still far in the future, fusion energy business leaders can power the current momentum by:
1. Collaborating on research and development. Institutions, government agencies and private sector companies may be able to expedite breakthroughs by pooling resources and expertise.
2. Advocating for government support. Educating policymakers about the long-term benefits of fusion could lead to greater funding and support.
3. Engaging in public outreach. Address misconceptions and provide clarity on the benefits and challenges of fusion energy through educational campaigns, events and collaborations with schools and universities.
4. Seeking new talent. Offer internships, scholarships and mentorship programs to draw young scientists and engineers to the fusion field. Novel approaches often come from new sources.
5. Encouraging competition. Healthy competition can drive innovation. Encourage the birth of startups and spin-offs. A rising tide lifts all boats.
Innovation And Support Are Bringing Fusion Closer To Reality
The U.S. Department of Energy announced in March that it was providing $46 million in funding to eight companies for research and development of fusion power plants, part of President Biden’s push to achieve successful fusion energy generation within the next 10 years. Fusion energy could help solve issues that are important on both sides of the aisle: such as affordable energy for disenfranchised communities for Democrats and high-output electricity to power industry for Republicans. Fusion energy is a bipartisan issue.
This new funding from the DOE is a signal of just how far fusion energy has come toward mass-market use. Back in 2014, I gave a speech at Harvard University about building AI to help expand fusion energy, and I heard snickering from the back of the room. That’s how incomprehensible it all seemed back then, but now, what we dreamed back then is quickly coming to fruition. The trajectory of fusion science has been so exponential, the hope is that we are coming ever closer to a world where fusion energy is a reality, and the wars over fossil fuels, water and food could finally be things of the past.
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