Nuclear Fusion In Australia

Clean energy is one of most discussed topics in modern society. Scientists are trying to find new ways of creating a stable source of energy that is also harmless for the environment. One method for creating such energy that has been debated in Australia is nuclear fusion. Citizens are divided whether to introduce nuclear fusion in Australia due to many reasons for and against. Supporters state that Nuclear Fusion is a source of clean energy and potentially limitless. However, those who oppose the idea argue that it costs too much money and will be hard to contain due to the extremely high temperatures required to produce the energy.

Nuclear fusion is a process during which light atoms fuse to form heavier ones. During the fusion of elements

Nuclear Fusion reactions are much more energetic compared to chemical combustion and easier to access than fossil fuels. Unlike current energy resources, nuclear fusion could provide high-power generation that is uninterrupted due to the fact that it is not dependent on the weather such as wind or solar power (Wikipedia.org, 2015).

Another crucial element is that nuclear fusion does not emit any greenhouse gasses making it harmless for the environment. Air pollution is one the major factors that the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil which results in the increased rates of CO2 (Cleaner and Greener, 2015). Increase in CO2 production causes global warming. “Global carbon dioxide emissions in Australia rose to 34 billion tonnes in 2011, according to a new EU report”(Climatespectator, 2015)

A basic form of nuclear fusion is the Sun. For fusion to occur, temperatures up to 45million Kelvin are required to overcome the electrical repulsion between the protons. Due to the strong gravitational pull of the Sun, Hydrogen atoms are fused together to produce Helium. However, there are no materials that can withstand such extreme temperatures without melting (Physics.ucsd.edu, 2015). This issue can be overcome by Magnetic Confinement. Magnetic confinement is the magnetic coils surrounding the doughnut shaped reactor allowing the substance in the reactor not to make contact with

In 1985, the Soviet Union along with two other countries and a continent such as USA, Japan and Europe decided to plan and eventually build an International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). It was estimated to cost approximately $6 billion. However, when the plan and the design of the ITER was complete, USA decided to withdraw from the project causing a 50% reduction in costs and redesign (World Nuclear Association, 2015). The project was then expected to $3 billion dollars (World Nuclear Association, 2015). According to a 2009 UCS report, between 2002 and 2008, estimated costs for new nuclear plant construction rose from between $2 billion and $4 billion per unit to $9 billion per unit (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2015). For Australia in the long term, for years to come, the cost will be worth it because over a period of time of getting fossil fuel will cost as much and fossil fuel resources will be exhausted. However, if the money was utilised towards nuclear fusion there would be a stable source of power. “ A 2009 report from the National Research Council showed that fossil fuels impose $120 billion of annual costs on the public every year”(Treehugger,