Latest news with #InternationalThermonuclearExperimentalReactor
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Engineers India plans to expand footprint in thermal, nuclear power
New Delhi: As the Centre aims to add thermal and nuclear power plants in the country to increase baseload capacity, state-run engineering consultancy and project management company Engineers India Ltd (EIL) is looking at taking more projects in both the power generation segments, its chairman and managing director (CMD) Vartika Shukla said on Thursday. Addressing the media, Shukla said the company is in talks with players in the wind energy space to develop offshore wind projects as it diversifies further into sectors other than oil and gas. 'To meet the demand gap in the power segment, there are several thermal power plants which are reviving and which earlier we were not looking at,' said Shukla. 'So, we are also talking to some (power generation companies). We are looking at a PMC (project management consultancy) role for those projects. We also see in the non-oil and gas power sector, opportunities in offshore wind.' The focus on thermal power comes in the backdrop of government plans to add 80GW of coal-based power generation capacity in the country by 2032 to meet rising power demand along with the ambitious energy transition goal of installing 500GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030. On 30 April, Mint reported that the government may increase its coal-based capacity expansion plan to about 100GW amid rising coal production and growing power demand. EIL has so far been involved in captive power plants and also in the relocation of a 300MW gas-based power plant. Speaking of the plans in nuclear power, Shukla said the company has already entered into the space and has also trained its workforce for the sector. 'We have moved the needle towards more engagement towards the nuclear sector as well,' she said. 'We were present in the space when we did the Kundankulam need to revisit that relationship. So, we have trained our people in BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre). We have built the competency within.' Some of the nuclear projects in which EIL has been associated include the 2x1000MWe Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant-Unit 3 & 4, Cooling Water and Heat Recovery Systems for ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) and NPCIL's Nuclear Power Project at Mithivirdi. EIL's CMD further said the company is looking at entering the small modular reactors space. Currently, India has an installed nuclear power capacity of 8.18GW and the government aims to triple the capacity by 2032. The Centre has also set an ambitious target of 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047. On Thursday, EIL reported a more than twofold growth in its consolidated net profit for the quarter ended March at ₹ 279.81 crore, compared to ₹ 115.52 crore in the year-ago period. Its total income for the fourth quarter of FY25 was ₹ 1,046.57 crore, 22.2% higher on a year-on-year basis. Addressing the press conference, Shukla said EIL secured an order inflow of ₹ 8,214 crore in 2024-25, an all-time high in the journey of the company, leading to an order book of around ₹ 11,700 crore. 'The share of its diversified business segments has increased significantly with around 36% of the order inflow shared by energy efficient infrastructure segment in the past fiscal, which includes high-end data centres, state-of-the-art laboratories, and academic complexes, among others,' said a company statement. In the previous fiscal, EIL secured around 36% of its business through competitive bidding with the share of consultancy standing at around 56% of the order inflow in the fiscal. The contribution of order inflow from international businesses reached ₹ 1,077 crore, the highest in the past decade, the statement added.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion - From moonshots to megawatts: Fusion's Cold War moment
When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface in 1969, he declared it a 'giant leap for mankind.' This iconic moment, captured on grainy television screens worldwide, was not merely a triumph of human ingenuity but the result of intense geopolitical competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The rivalry, fueled by the existential anxieties of the Cold War, paradoxically propelled humanity forward. Today, we stand on the threshold of another transformative milestone — achieving practical nuclear fusion. And once again, competition, particularly among the U.S., China and Europe, may prove critical. Idealists often advocate global cooperation, envisioning pooled resources and collective progress. However, historical realities suggest that competitive pressure often yields faster, more substantial results. The sluggish progress of ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, a collaboration of 35 nations including the U.S., China, Russia and several European countries, illustrates the inherent inefficiencies in sprawling multinational cooperation. Initially proposed in 1985, ITER's schedule has repeatedly slipped, with first plasma now anticipated no sooner than 2034. Development setbacks, bureaucratic inertia, conflicting national interests, inconsistent funding, and prolonged negotiations have significantly hindered progress. Contrast ITER's delays with the rapid advances of private and national fusion efforts. In the U.S., ventures such as Commonwealth Fusion Systems, driven by academic ingenuity and substantial private investments, have reached critical milestones. Commonwealth recently demonstrated a groundbreaking high-temperature superconducting magnet, a crucial advancement toward viable fusion energy. Today, more than 50 private startups globally have attracted more than $8 billion in investment, all racing to be the first to commercialize fusion. China, too, has aggressively advanced its fusion ambitions. Chinese researchers working on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak, popularly known as the 'artificial sun,' recently maintained plasma at over 120 million degrees Celsius for more than 400 seconds, a remarkable achievement that brings fusion significantly closer to practical application. These achievements make clear that when the stakes are high, competitive dynamics accelerate progress in ways international collaborations often cannot. Europe, often perceived as a collaborative partner in ITER, is now asserting itself as a formidable competitor in the fusion arena. The European Union has long supported fusion research through such initiatives as EUROfusion, which coordinates research across numerous European laboratories. Facilities such as the Joint European Torus in the UK and the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Germany have achieved significant milestones, demonstrating Europe's commitment to advancing fusion technology. Moreover, European startups such as Marvel Fusion in Germany have attracted substantial investments to develop innovative fusion approaches, signaling a shift towards a more competitive stance in the global fusion race. The historical parallels are instructive. The Cold War-era space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union resulted in unprecedented technological achievements. Beyond landing astronauts on the moon, this competition spurred developments in microelectronics, telecommunications, materials science and computing. The intense desire to outperform a geopolitical rival drove nations to push technological limits, delivering widespread benefits continuously. Could NASA have achieved the moon landing sooner had it been obligated to negotiate every decision with multiple international partners? The answer is unequivocally no. Multilateral consensus-building, however well-intentioned, tends to slow decision-making and dilute ambition. This lesson applies directly to the fusion race. With the accelerating impacts of climate change and global energy demands expected to rise by nearly 50 percent by 2050, fusion energy's promise — clean, abundant, and nearly limitless energy — is urgently needed. Fusion has the potential to decarbonize global energy grids, diminish geopolitical tensions over fossil fuels, and provide stable energy to developing nations. Of course, competition is not without critics. Some argue it leads to duplication, secrecy, or geopolitical tension. Yet history and current fusion progress show competition can sharpen focus, streamline resources, and accelerate timelines where cooperation might stall. Indeed, competition among the U.S., China and Europe is about more than mere technological superiority; it shapes geopolitical alliances, influences global economic dynamics, and may redefine leadership in the 21st century. Just as the U.S. emerged from the space race as a global technological and economic powerhouse, the victor in fusion development will likely dictate future standards for global energy and technology governance. Fusion technology inherently offers widespread humanitarian benefits. Even if initial successes are regionally concentrated, these breakthroughs will inevitably diffuse globally due to their immense economic and environmental advantages. Like space-derived innovations such as satellite technology and computing, fusion's benefits will become universally accessible. Climate negotiations at COP28 underscore the difficulties inherent in international cooperation. Achieving even minimal consensus on reducing fossil fuel production (The 'transition away from fossil fuels' agreement) was politically contentious and largely ineffective, delivering superficial agreements that catered more to geopolitical power dynamics than to any meaningful climate solutions. Such bureaucratic delays and diluted outcomes illustrate why humanity cannot afford to rely solely on multilateral cooperation. Ultimately, the fusion race is not merely a geopolitical contest; it is a vital competition for human survival and global prosperity. While competition may not always be harmonious or efficient, neither was the space race. Yet, the space race advanced humanity dramatically. Allowing the fusion race to unfold unhindered may again deliver swift, transformative solutions at a time when humanity urgently needs them. Our planet and our future depend on embracing this competitive drive. Oded Gour-Lavie is CEO and co-founder of nT-Tao, a compact fusion power company based in Israel. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
4 days ago
- Science
- The Hill
From moonshots to megawatts: Fusion's Cold War moment
When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface in 1969, he declared it a 'giant leap for mankind.' This iconic moment, captured on grainy television screens worldwide, was not merely a triumph of human ingenuity but the result of intense geopolitical competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The rivalry, fueled by the existential anxieties of the Cold War, paradoxically propelled humanity forward. Today, we stand on the threshold of another transformative milestone — achieving practical nuclear fusion. And once again, competition, particularly among the U.S., China and Europe, may prove critical. Idealists often advocate global cooperation, envisioning pooled resources and collective progress. However, historical realities suggest that competitive pressure often yields faster, more substantial results. The sluggish progress of ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, a collaboration of 35 nations including the U.S., China, Russia and several European countries, illustrates the inherent inefficiencies in sprawling multinational cooperation. Initially proposed in 1985, ITER's schedule has repeatedly slipped, with first plasma now anticipated no sooner than 2034. Development setbacks, bureaucratic inertia, conflicting national interests, inconsistent funding, and prolonged negotiations have significantly hindered progress. Contrast ITER's delays with the rapid advances of private and national fusion efforts. In the U.S., ventures such as Commonwealth Fusion Systems, driven by academic ingenuity and substantial private investments, have reached critical milestones. Commonwealth recently demonstrated a groundbreaking high-temperature superconducting magnet, a crucial advancement toward viable fusion energy. Today, more than 50 private startups globally have attracted more than $8 billion in investment, all racing to be the first to commercialize fusion. China, too, has aggressively advanced its fusion ambitions. Chinese researchers working on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak, popularly known as the 'artificial sun,' recently maintained plasma at over 120 million degrees Celsius for more than 400 seconds, a remarkable achievement that brings fusion significantly closer to practical application. These achievements make clear that when the stakes are high, competitive dynamics accelerate progress in ways international collaborations often cannot. Europe, often perceived as a collaborative partner in ITER, is now asserting itself as a formidable competitor in the fusion arena. The European Union has long supported fusion research through such initiatives as EUROfusion, which coordinates research across numerous European laboratories. Facilities such as the Joint European Torus in the UK and the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Germany have achieved significant milestones, demonstrating Europe's commitment to advancing fusion technology. Moreover, European startups such as Marvel Fusion in Germany have attracted substantial investments to develop innovative fusion approaches, signaling a shift towards a more competitive stance in the global fusion race. The historical parallels are instructive. The Cold War-era space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union resulted in unprecedented technological achievements. Beyond landing astronauts on the moon, this competition spurred developments in microelectronics, telecommunications, materials science and computing. The intense desire to outperform a geopolitical rival drove nations to push technological limits, delivering widespread benefits continuously. Could NASA have achieved the moon landing sooner had it been obligated to negotiate every decision with multiple international partners? The answer is unequivocally no. Multilateral consensus-building, however well-intentioned, tends to slow decision-making and dilute ambition. This lesson applies directly to the fusion race. With the accelerating impacts of climate change and global energy demands expected to rise by nearly 50 percent by 2050, fusion energy's promise — clean, abundant, and nearly limitless energy — is urgently needed. Fusion has the potential to decarbonize global energy grids, diminish geopolitical tensions over fossil fuels, and provide stable energy to developing nations. Of course, competition is not without critics. Some argue it leads to duplication, secrecy, or geopolitical tension. Yet history and current fusion progress show competition can sharpen focus, streamline resources, and accelerate timelines where cooperation might stall. Indeed, competition among the U.S., China and Europe is about more than mere technological superiority; it shapes geopolitical alliances, influences global economic dynamics, and may redefine leadership in the 21st century. Just as the U.S. emerged from the space race as a global technological and economic powerhouse, the victor in fusion development will likely dictate future standards for global energy and technology governance. Fusion technology inherently offers widespread humanitarian benefits. Even if initial successes are regionally concentrated, these breakthroughs will inevitably diffuse globally due to their immense economic and environmental advantages. Like space-derived innovations such as satellite technology and computing, fusion's benefits will become universally accessible. Climate negotiations at COP28 underscore the difficulties inherent in international cooperation. Achieving even minimal consensus on reducing fossil fuel production (The 'transition away from fossil fuels' agreement) was politically contentious and largely ineffective, delivering superficial agreements that catered more to geopolitical power dynamics than to any meaningful climate solutions. Such bureaucratic delays and diluted outcomes illustrate why humanity cannot afford to rely solely on multilateral cooperation. Ultimately, the fusion race is not merely a geopolitical contest; it is a vital competition for human survival and global prosperity. While competition may not always be harmonious or efficient, neither was the space race. Yet, the space race advanced humanity dramatically. Allowing the fusion race to unfold unhindered may again deliver swift, transformative solutions at a time when humanity urgently needs them. Our planet and our future depend on embracing this competitive drive. Oded Gour-Lavie is CEO and co-founder of nT-Tao, a compact fusion power company based in Israel.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers make breakthrough on experimental device that will get hotter than the sun: 'It provides energy and cooling media'
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor in France is inching closer to completion with the delivery of essential magnetic components from China for its fusion reactor. The Correction Coil In-Cryostat Feeder is the last and most important of many massive components in the reactor's magnetic feeder system, according to Interesting Engineering. The device was developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Plasma Physics, and, according to the institution, it consists of nine sets of half-ring structures measuring approximately 52 feet wide and 10 feet high. Per the news report, ITER is jointly funded by the European Union, China, the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, and Russia, all working together to unlock nearly unlimited amounts of clean and sustainable energy. Fusion is the process of harvesting energy released when two nuclei in a superheated plasma combine to form a new atomic nucleus. The energy and pressure required to heat the plasma are immense, even exceeding temperatures in our sun, where fusion naturally occurs. Although the success of human-made fusion reactors is still mostly theoretical, scientists are hopeful that this energy source is nearing viability. According to ITER, "Fusion research has increased key fusion plasma performance parameters by a factor of 10,000 over 60 years; research is now less than a factor of 10 away from producing the performance needed for a fusion power plant." The process does not emit harmful pollutants or long-lived radioactive waste and uses Earth-abundant deuterium and tritium as fuel. If successful, fusion reactors could complement solar and wind energy, pushing society further toward its sustainability goals. The ITER magnetic feeder system is known as the "lifeline" of the reactor's magnetic assembly, and Lu Kun, deputy director of ASIPP, explained how crucial it is to the project in a press release from the school. "It provides energy and cooling media to the fusion reactor magnets, sends back critical control signals, and also acts as a discharge channel to safely release stored magnet energy," Kun said. Other fusion reactor projects are making progress with incremental improvements to their design. China's Huanliu-3 reactor employs real-time data tracking to help fine-tune internal processes, while scientists at the UK Atomic Energy Authority successfully produced fusion-grade steel that can withstand the temperatures needed in these reactors. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New nuclear fusion reactor's electromagnet could lift 10 monster trucks
The world's largest and most powerful superconducting electromagnet is ready to become the pulsing 'heart' inside of a massive tokamak nuclear fusion reactor. Developed over 40 years in collaboration with over 30 countries, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) facility in southern France aims to finally demonstrate nuclear fusion's potential as a commercially viable energy source. But in order to do that, ITER requires a six module Central Solenoid magnet system that weighs nearly 3,000 tons. Once assembled, the installation will be strong enough to lift a 112,000-pound aircraft carrier, or about 10 monster trucks. An acronym of the Russian-language designation of 'toroidal chamber with magnetic coils,' a tokamak is a donut-shaped fusion reactor that relies on pulsed magnetic charges to ionize only a few grams' worth of deuterium and tritium hydrogen gas fuel. The ionized plasma is then confined by an 'invisible cage' of magnetic energy while external heating systems increase plasma temperature to over 270,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit—or hotter than the sun's core. At that point, the plasma's atomic nuclei begin to combine (hence 'nuclear fusion'), in the process releasing unprecedented amounts of heat that can then hypothetically be used to provide limitless, clean energy to the masses. ITER engineers expect their tokamak reactor to generate 500 megawatts (Mw) of fusion power using just 50 Mw of input heating–compared with a nuclear fission reactor's roughly 1,000 Mw of power output from an input of 3000 Mw . This will enable ongoing fusion to become a mostly self-heating burning plasma. All that immense energy will be contained using the Central Solenoid's magnetic forces. 'It is like the bottle in a bottle of wine: of course the wine is maybe more important than the bottle, but you need the bottle in order to put the wine inside,' ITER director general Pietro Barabaschi recently explained to Reuters. ITER has been plagued with delays for years thanks to a combination of logistical challenges, shifting geopolitical landscapes, and financial burdens. Now that the final Central Solenoid module is complete, all that's left is to finish installing the reactor's components and ready the facility for testing—but even that will take time. ITER's start-up phase for generating plasma likely won't take place until at least 2033. Even so, Barabaschi remains hopeful about the tokamak reactor's potential, as well as what it represents on a global scale. 'This achievement proves that when humanity faces existential challenges like climate change and energy security, we can overcome national differences to advance solutions,' he said in a statement. 'The ITER Project is the embodiment of hope. With ITER, we show that a sustainable energy future and a peaceful path forward are possible.'
