General Fusion’s Chief Scientist reveals why “fusion is coming” sooner than we think
Burnaby, BC – August 8, 2016 – A physicist’s TED talk on the potential of fusion energy has now been viewed by more than a million people.
Dr. Michel Laberge is the Founder and Chief Scientist of General Fusion, a world leader in commercial fusion energy development. His 2014 TED talk about the exciting pace of progress toward a revolutionary energy source has reached an audience beyond the world of science – passing the one million viewer mark on August 6, 2016.
Dr. Laberge, a physicist by training, is gratified that his talk about a new energy technology has proven so popular.
“A million views shows that people are optimistic that technology can meet the big problems of today,” he says. “Fusion energy is a powerful tool to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Fusion energy’s potential to contribute significantly to the world’s energy needs has been recognized since the mid-20th century. Once the science and engineering challenges presented by fusion are solved, it will provide a virtually inexhaustible supply of clean, safe and cost-effective power. Not restricted by geography, fusion will be available to every nation on earth.
“Fusion is coming,” Dr. Laberge told his audience, explaining that recent improvements in computing power and in understanding plasma physics have led to rapid advances in the field. The knowledge accumulated in the past few decades is opening the door for private enterprises such as General Fusion to pursue innovative options.
In his TED talk, given in Vancouver, Canada, Dr. Laberge described how private companies are working on a number of different technologies, all with the same objective as large government projects such as ITER—to fuse atomic particles together and in the process create energy. The key is for the energy yield to be greater than the energy input.
“Everyone in the fusion science community is working toward the same goal,” says Dr. Laberge, “so while we at General Fusion aim to be the first to develop commercially-viable fusion power, it’s a friendly competition. Clean energy, everywhere, forever, will be good for the whole planet.”
Click here to watch Dr. Laberge’s TED Talk – How synchronized hammer strikes could generate nuclear fusion
About General Fusion:
General Fusion is developing the fastest, most practical, and cost-effective path to commercial fusion energy. The company was established in 2002 and is supported by a global syndicate of leading energy venture capital funds, industry leaders, and technology pioneers, including: Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital, Bezos Expeditions, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Cenovus Energy, Growthworks, Braemar Energy Ventures, BDC, Entrepreneurs Fund, SET Ventures, Sustainable Development Technology Canada, and NRC-IRAP.
www.generalfusion.com
