Top fusion scientists on Monday called for deeper international collaboration to overcome the final hurdles in fusion energy, as China unveiled a new scientific initiative in east China's Hefei City, aimed at mastering burning plasma, the key to realizing practical "artificial sun" power.
Fusion energy is considered the ultimate direction for future clean energy. Currently, with the advancement of devices such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and BEST, fusion research is entering a new stage of "burning plasma".
"Currently, the international community commonly recognizes a very difficult challenge: burning plasma physics. Under strong magnetic confinement in a tokamak, we must achieve deuterium-tritium burning and realize fusion utilization. We are now moving from experimental devices toward engineering applications. To leverage the role of large-scale scientific facilities, the world’s scientists need to work together to solve the scientific and engineering problems facing fusion energy," said Song Yuntao, deputy director of the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP).
"China is one of the leading countries for fusion research, and it has been a partner of ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) which is being built in France. As you know China now is really the biggest partners I think it's developing a strong program towards fusion energy. So I think it's really a very good opportunity also for us to work here with you," said Jerome Bucalossi, director of the Institute for Magnetic Fusion Research (IRFM) at the French Alternatives Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).
Relying on large scientific facilities such as the EAST fully superconducting tokamak device, China has established stable cooperation with more than 120 research institutions in more than 50 countries, and actively participates in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, making continuous contributions to global fusion research.
China on Monday launched an international science program focused on fusion burning plasma research in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, opening several major fusion research platforms to global scientists for joint scientific advancements.
This international program, initiated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Plasma Physics, will provide global access to the country's multiple major fusion research platforms - including the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak facility in Hefei.
Global scientists call for deeper cooperation in plasma fusion program
