ENERGY BREAKTHROUGH: The Biden Administration makes its scientific mark on history
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm made a breaking announcement on Tuesday with giant implications for the energy future of the United States and the world — revealing that the U.S. is the first country in the world to achieve nuclear fusion ignition inside of a lab.
Fusion energy occurs when two atomic nuclei fuse together, and when the energy created (ignition) is greater than the energy put into it (laser). This creates near-endless possibilities for the future of clean power and can become part of the solution for the planet’s climate emergency woes.
On December 5, 2022, the United States solidified its place in scientific history, over 60 years after the Physicist John Nuckolls first thought that it was possible.
“Last week, at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, scientists at the National Ignition Facility achieved fusion ignition,” Secretary Granholm said at a press conference. “It’s the first time it’s ever been done in a laboratory – anywhere in the world. Simply put, this is one of the most impressive scientific feats of the 21st century.”
“This is a landmark achievement for the researchers and staff at the National Ignition Facility who have dedicated their careers to seeing fusion ignition become a reality, and this milestone will undoubtedly spark even more discovery,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement, according to VOA News.
The Department of Energy, in partnership with Livermore Labs and the National Nuclear Security Administration, succeeded where others have not— by creating fusion power in a lab, successfully passing the threshold.
“This breakthrough will change the future of clean power and America’s national defense forever,” the Department of Energy tweeted.