Fusion power: how close are we? | FT Film

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Published 2023-01-15
For the first time, US scientists have achieved a fusion reaction with net energy gain. But the dream of limitless zero-carbon energy is still a long way from reality. The FT's Simon Mundy meets scientists and investors in the UK, France and US, to see how close we really are to commercial fusion power. Read more at on.ft.com/3GJl1JF

#energy #fusionpower #cleanenergy #zerocarbonemission #environment #scientists #investors

00:00 - What powers the universe
01:04 - ITER: the biggest experiment in human history
04:28 - What is fusion?
06:38 - Replicating the sun
08:38 - The US breakthrough
13:46 - The investors
20:40 - A new class of magnet
24:30 - Dream or reality?

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All Comments (21)
  • @FinancialTimes
    Watch FT Moral Money editor Simon Mundy uncover some of the biggest opportunities and challenges within the global shift to cleaner energy. Click the links below for related videos: Can hydrogen help the world reach net zero? | FT Film on.ft.com/47g3MvA Inside the global race for lithium batteries | FT Film on.ft.com/46ojrrA
  • @Matthew-oq9rw
    This video/ documentary was perfectly made. We get a lot of different point of views, from the scientists themselves to the investors backing them. And the question in the video title has been answered, with a very reasonable ballpark. I hope that a commercial breakthrough happens in my lifetime as this would catapult the human civilization exponentially in all scientific fields.
  • It's hard. It will take a long time. Most of us won't live to see it - but it's worth everything we can throw at it, because it's possible and it will be the greatest revolution for humanity since we mastered fire.
  • @Pureskillzor
    Simon Mundy has be the FT's best presenter for these documentaries. Very good video!
  • @nick_0
    Thank you so much for such quality and educational videos for free for everyone!
  • @LDacic
    Looking forward to parts 2 & 3!
  • @benmike8296
    Wonderful doc! Thanks for producing the high quality film!
  • @mv1612
    To me, CFS (the SPARC project), driven in fact by the MIT fusion labs, seems to be the more promising, by which I mean the closest to not only demonstrate the concept, but to build a real power plant.
  • This is so much better than the coverage we got on 60 Minutes. This should clip should have many more views.
  • @peterclyons
    I will have to watch the other two programs in the series before coming to any conclusions but so far so good.
  • @flickapolitan
    Well done, this is by far the most comprehensive and understandable film on the state of the fusion industry
  • @sirdubious30
    Fascinating video, well done FT film. Can't wait for the other parts of this series.
  • @bogdan78pop
    20 years ....since the 1950's ...it's always been 20 years away....!!!! it still stands....!!!
  • @unorubbertoe
    Great presentation. Thank you for the insight. I have been binge watching a lot of videos on the subject. I really appreciate that you included the voices of reason on the timeline to achieve a net gain.
  • This is why we need to invest in modern advanced nuclear energy options. Small form reactors, LFTRs, Thorium Reactors, liquid reactors. Utilizing our advanced modern technology, engineering, material science, safety measures understandings and designs, computer technology, robotics, It will really allow any nation to be pretty much be energy independent. Less reliant on fossil fuels. They'll have efficient, stable electrical grids and the rest of the grid could experiment with alternative power sources, etc. We need to heal from the trauma of our past and see that it came solely from Us not understanding what we were doing, not have advanced enough technology, material science, engineering, safety measures, understanding of how to go about everything, etc. This source of energy will greatly help the world improve towards the future and lowering emissions more than anything else could while having a very stable electrical grid system. Currently we have alternative energy options but the majority of our grid is powered off of fossil fuels and emission producing sources of energy. We will be so much better going forward commiting to modern advanced nuclear energy options. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ {I truly believe, The more our surroundings flourish, the more we all flourish.} With how bad I've been seeing "water level/droughts" in the Western America lately. I really hope we not only reintroduce Beavers all over I hope we actively do cloud seeding to influence more rain to such important area's that supply crops, deal with forest fires, & are running out of water. We've really messed up natural waterways from hydroelectric. Ecosystems and biodiversity, water oxygen, carbon levels, algae blooms, nutrient flow from inland location to off shore location. In some areas like where I live in NW Oregon, rivers are a direct connection from the ocean to the inland ecosystems and how both those ecosystems can flourish which directly connects to our qualities of Life. Our natural waterways are crucial aspects of the entire overall health of every aspect of that environment and anything that environment connects too. In Oregon, we had some of the best Salmon runs on the planet and lush inland forests, wetland ecosystems, beaver's that created special habitats/fire safety and all that got totally flipped upside down from all the hydro dams they built in the early 1900s, and many other practices we once commonly did. Before we knew or understood the effects and outcomes that comes from them. So I really hope to see tons of projects that are working on rewilding areas for the sole purpose of reestablishing ecosystem's that once flourished. Because Humans inherently do better when their environment is doing better. It provides a ton of benefit to it's people and to the quality of Life as a whole for not just humans but the entire ecosystem around you which will definitely have positive impacts to so many layers to people's life's and your community as a whole. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • @aviefern
    For me, fusion really illustrates the importance of taking a balanced approach. I do think fusion will eventually pay off, but in the short-term, we really need to go all in on renewable energy and next-gen fission. We need to decarbonize as much as possible using the tech we currently have including solar, wind, tidal, thorium, hydro, and more. Once fusion pays off, we can start transitioning to that and increase our energy usage, but till that happens we need a temporary solution. Hopefully in the far future, we can start building a Dyson sphere and become a type 2 civilization.
  • @bargdaffy1535
    The Fusion Reaction, if it can be maintained beyond "Ignition", which is what this is, can be self perpetuating if Lithium-6 Blankets are involved, maybe. But it is about 10 years down the road at least to even test the theory at ITER in France. That is the purpose of ITER. The reactor was expected to take 10 years to build and ITER had planned to test its first plasma in 2020 and achieve full fusion by 2023, however the schedule is now to test first plasma in 2025 and full fusion in 2035.
  • @lindz3661
    This high quality documented content right there.
  • @thecrthguy
    Seems that we’re making huge progress towards fusion power 🕺👌👌👌