Resource World Magazine

58 www.resourceworld.com A P R I L / M A Y 2 0 1 4 Developments in Alternative Energy by Jane Bratun SCIENTISTS PRODUCE LIMITED FUSION POWER The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California reports that scien- tists have achieved a self-sustaining fusion burn for brief periods under experimental conditions. This world-first tries to recreate conditions found at the heart of the sun and paves the way for nuclear fusion reactors. But the amount of energy used was greater than the amount of energy generated. For fusion energy to supply a continu - ous stream of electricity requires energy gain. The lab's National Ignition Facility (NIF) intends to be the first fusion facility to demonstrate ignition and gain. NIF's fusion targets are potentially capable of releas - ing 10 to 100 times more energy than the amount of laser energy required to initiate the fusion reaction. Nuclear power plants use fission, or splitting heavy atoms such as uranium, to release energy for electricity. A fusion power plant will generate energy by fusing atoms of deuterium and tritium, two isotopes of hydrogen – the lightest element. Deuterium is extracted from seawater, and tritium is produced by the transmutation of lithium, a common element in the Earth's crust and oceans. When the hydrogen nuclei fuse under the intense temperatures and pressures in the NIF target capsule, a helium nucleus forms, and a small amount of mass lost in the reaction is converted to a large amount of energy, according to Einstein's famous formula E=mc 2 . In their experiments, researchers at the NIF use a bank of 192 pow- erful lasers to crush a minuscule amount of fuel so hard and so fast that it becomes hotter than the sun. A fusion power plant would not produce greenhouse gas or other noxious emissions, would operate continuously to meet demand, and would not require geological disposal of radioactive waste. A fusion power plant would also present no danger of a meltdown. Because nuclear fusion offers the potential for virtually unlimited safe and environmen - tally benign energy, the U.S. Department of Energy has made fusion a key element in the nation's long-term energy plans. HYDROGEN CARS TO CHALLENGE ELECTRIC CARS IN CALIFORNIA As reported by Mike Ramsey in the Wall Street Journal, several auto makers, under pressure from regulators, are preparing to roll out emissions-free cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells instead of gasoline engines. Three car makers have disclosed plans to lease a small number of new vehicles in California and in a few countries in Europe by the end of 2015. South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd. [HYMLF-PNK] is expected to be first this spring, followed next year by Japanese auto makers Toyota Motor Corp. [TM-NYSE] and Honda Motor Co. Ltd. [HMC-NYSE]. California wants at least 15% of new vehi - cles sold in the state to produce zero emissions by 2025, and its regulations require auto makers to sell electric or fuel cell vehicles to meet the requirement. Its mandate means that fuel cell cars will get double the emission credits compared to electric vehicles. The tests are an effort to determine how expensive hydrogen vehicles will compete with far less expensive gasoline-powered or diesel-powered cars. The biggest problem so far is their cost. Next is figuring out how to get the cars to fueling stations, where they are pumped with compressed hydrogen. "The thing about fuel cell vehicles is they have the potential to offer many of the things that consumers expect today from gasoline vehicles. For our long-term goals they could play a greater role," said John Swanton, an air-pollution specialist with the California Air Resources Board. Fuel cells use a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to create electric - ity and water. In a car, the fuel cell would replace batteries as a source of power for elec- tric motors and allow for faster refueling than battery-powered electric cars. California's mandate requires auto makers to sell a number of zero-emission vehicles commensurate with their volume in the state. Because Toyota and Honda dominate the market in California, they are required to sell more zero-emission vehicles than others. A L T E R N A T I V E E N E R G Y R E V I E W A Hyundai fuel cell automobile. Source: Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.

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