A major conference on fusion energy is set to begin this week in San Diego. The “24^th Fusion Energy Conference” hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency runs from October 8-13, with leading fusion scientists from around the world in attendance.

The purpose of the conference is for fusion experts from different countries and laboratories to exchange the technical and scientific results from their research. As the IAEA announcement states, the conference will “provide a forum for the discussion of key physics and technology issues as well as innovative concepts of direct relevance to fusion as a source of nuclear energy.”

With the objective of achieving net energy gain as a backdrop, the conference will not focus on one single path towards fusion commercialization. Instead, researchers from both magnetic confinement fusion and inertial confinement fusion – the two main approaches to fusion – will present their findings.

Moreover, presentations will also focus on some of the main obstacles remaining for fusion energy, such as how to effectively confine and manage plasma, for example. Other topics include innovative ideas on how to design a future power plant, economics of fusion, and ITER’s activities.

While obstacles remain, fusion energy holds great promise as a clean, safe, secure and abundant source of energy. The conference will bring the best minds on fusion energy together to work on solving some of the key obstacles that face the field.

For more information on the event, click here.

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