France's WEST Tokamak reactor has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in energy research by sustaining a nuclear reaction for 22 minutes and 17 seconds, a significant step towards the dream of sustainable fusion power. This record-breaking experiment, conducted on February 12, reached temperatures of 50 million degrees Celsius, about three times hotter than the Sun's core.
*Key Details of the Achievement:*
- *Record Duration*: The WEST Tokamak maintained plasma for 1,337 seconds, surpassing China's EAST tokamak record of 1,066 seconds.
- *Temperature*: The plasma generated reached 50 million degrees Celsius, significantly hotter than the Sun's core.
- *Power Input*: The reaction was sustained using 2 megawatts of heating power, demonstrating the potential for efficient energy production ¹.
*Implications for Fusion Energy:*
- *Clean and Limitless Energy*: Fusion power could provide a nearly limitless supply of energy with minimal environmental impact, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change.
- *ITER Project*: The success of the WEST Tokamak provides valuable insights for the development of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a collaborative project aiming to demonstrate fusion's feasibility as a large-scale energy source.
- *Future Advancements*: Researchers plan to extend reaction durations and increase temperatures, paving the way for more advanced reactors and potentially transforming the world's energy landscape ².
