Fisheye view of the installation of sector module no. 5 inside the ITER tokamak pit. ©ITER
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Inside nuclear fusion: this is how the energy
of the future is born
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Nuclear: an adjective meaning “of the nucleus, relating to the nucleus, constituting a nucleus”, which can refer to a cell (nuclear membrane, nuclear sap), to a family group (nuclear family), to the fundamental units of matter, atoms (nuclear force). And yet, typing nuclear into any search bar, the first image result we obtain is that of gigantic towers billowing steam: the cooling towers of nuclear fission power plants. We are in the realm of the atoms mentioned above, and what happens in these plants is that a large amount of energy is produced by splitting a nucleus (the central part of an atom) into two smaller nuclei. This process, known precisely as nuclear fission, has been used for decades to produce energy in many countries around the world and, given its low impact in terms of emissions and the complex management of radioactive waste, occupies a stable place in the political and environmental debate. There is, however, another process, equally energetic and with reduced risks, which could open up an alternative path: nuclear fusion, or the combination of light nuclei into a larger nucleus. Paola Batistoni, for many years head of the Fusion Energy Development Division at ENEA and now Italy’s representative on the Governing Board of the European agency Fusion for Energy, has told us the story and the impressive effort undertaken to advance fusion technology in Italy and worldwide, at a time of great international ferment.
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Interview with Paola Batistoni, former head of ENEA’s Fusion Energy Development Division and currently Italy’s representative on the Governing Board of the European agency Fusion for Energy
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Paola Batistoni was Head of the Fusion Energy Development Division at ENEA, where she has been working on nuclear fusion since 1984. She has taken part in numerous magnetic confinement fusion experiments in Italy and abroad, including JET, and has led several European projects aimed at the design and construction of the experimental fusion reactor ITER. During her professional career, she has also been editor of one of the leading international journals on fusion (Fusion Engineering and Design) and responsible for industry relations in Italy, actively promoting its involvement in the fusion programme. She currently represents Italy on the Governing Board of the European agency Fusion for Energy.
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What do we mean by nuclear fusion energy?
Nuclear fusion is the process that takes place inside stars and powers them; a process in which, under certain conditions, the nuclei of light atoms fuse into heavier nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy. It is the opposite reaction to nuclear fission, in which very heavy nuclei, located at the other end of the periodic table of elements (typically uranium, plutonium), under certain conditions break apart, also in this case releasing a large amount of energy. There have already been plants producing energy from nuclear fission for decades, whereas fusion is still in the research and development phase. There is, however, great interest in this technology, which is being studied all over the world for the production of electricity, by virtue of the favourable characteristics it presents.
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