Google加碼投資核融合電廠！攜手Commonwealth推動未來無碳核能轉型
根據《巴隆周刊》（Barron's）報導，這座核融合電廠基於麻省理工學院（MIT）研究成果，預計將於 2030 年代初開始供電，是全球第一個計畫性商業核融合發電案之一。
Google 清潔能源與碳排減量高級總監 Michael Terrell 表示：「在我們看來，這是一項改變世界的技術。」
先前，Google 就已參與 Commonwealth 先前的融資輪，並投資另一家核融合公司 TAE Technologies，後者也獲得石油巨頭雪佛龍（Chevron）支持。
核融合原理近似太陽發電 每公斤燃料能量遠超核分裂
與現今核能電廠採用的「核分裂」不同，核融合透過結合兩個原子核產生能量，模仿太陽發電原理。根據國際原子能總署（IAEA），每公斤核融合燃料所產生的能量是核分裂的 4 倍，甚至比燃燒石油或煤炭高出近 400 萬倍。
在 AI 資料中心與電動車電力需求激增之際，核融合電力被視為實現能源穩定與碳中和的關鍵。Google 母公司 Alphabet 承諾於 2030 年實現全球 24 小時使用無碳能源的目標。
除了 Google，微軟 (MSFT-US) 也在 2023 年與核融合公司 Helion 簽署協議，承諾 2028 年前購買 50 兆瓦核融合電力。Helion 的主要投資者之一為 OpenAI 執行長 Sam Altman，顯示矽谷科技圈對核融合的重視程度日益上升。
核融合距離商轉不再遙遠 2027 年有望實現「點火」突破
儘管核融合技術長期被認為「永遠還要再過 20 年」，但進展顯著加快。加州一處政府實驗室於 2022 年成功實現「點火」實驗，即輸出能量大於啟動能量。Commonwealth 執行長 Bob Mumgaard 表示，公司目標在 2027 年複製此突破。
彭博新能源財經分析師 Gadomski 指出，隨著超級運算、3D 列印、先進材料與磁體技術的進步，核融合工程已具備實現條件。他表示：「我對核融合的前景感到樂觀。」
儘管技術樂觀聲音不斷，市場上仍有保守聲音。資本創新公司（Capital Innovations）投資長 Michael Underhill 就認為，核融合距離商業化仍需 15 至 30 年。
Google 的 Terrell 最後表示：「核融合雖是長期布局，但現在這個長期看起來不再那麼遙遠。我們希望確保自己也投資在這個未來能源上。」
更多鉅亨報導•快抄筆記！美國女股神木頭姐最新布局：AI、防務、核能•川普簽行政令促核能發展 核能股全面強彈
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