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In June 2024 at the Japanese thermonuclear project JT-60SA a significant event took place: experimental studies of thermonuclear fusion began there - the technology of energy production in the fusion of atomic nuclei. The entire scientific world cooperated to build this object, and research on it can open a completely new milestone in modern physics and energy.
This caused a stir in the world media. In the columns of many of them, headlines appeared that the era of thermonuclear energy was just around the corner.
Research on the JT-60SA will help to complete the high-power fusion reactor ITER on the French Riviera, which should be operational in 15 years. Its value has already reached $20 billion, he says LIGA.net CEO of the project Pietro Barabaschi, and the project will need at least $5 billion more.
But in recent years, many private initiatives have appeared. Startups get funding from big investors like Jeff Bezos and Microsoft, do interesting research and build their machines, smaller than ITER, but no less promising.
Ukraine also has its own experimental thermonuclear installation "Hurricane-2M".
If the predictions of scientists come true and thermonuclear technologies enter the energy market, approximately by 2050, such power plants will be able to generate up to 2 GW of energy. That is, only one station will provide 20% of Ukrainian needs.
