[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.09,0:00:03.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Wow, this is bright.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.12,0:00:06.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It must use a lot of power.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.11,0:00:07.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, flying you all in here
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.60,0:00:10.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,must have cost a bit of energy too.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.05,0:00:12.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the whole planet needs a lot of energy,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.97,0:00:15.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and so far we've been running mostly on fossil fuel.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.87,0:00:17.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We've been burning gas.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.92,0:00:19.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's been a good run.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.31,0:00:22.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It got us to where we are, but we have to stop.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.18,0:00:24.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We can't do that anymore.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.33,0:00:26.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we are trying different types of energy now,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.61,0:00:27.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,alternative energy,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.82,0:00:30.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it proved quite difficult to find something
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.32,0:00:33.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's as convenient and as cost-effective
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.12,0:00:35.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as oil, gas and coal.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.94,0:00:40.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My personal favorite is nuclear energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.03,0:00:42.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, it's very energy-dense,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.63,0:00:45.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it produces solid, reliable power,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.11,0:00:47.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it doesn't make any CO2.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.50,0:00:48.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now we know of two ways
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.99,0:00:54.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of making nuclear energy: fission and fusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.16,0:00:56.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now in fission, you take a big nucleus,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.51,0:00:58.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you break it in part, in two,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.14,0:00:59.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it makes lots of energy,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.69,0:01:01.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this is how the nuclear reactor today works.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.90,0:01:03.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It works pretty good.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.31,0:01:05.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then there's fusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.46,0:01:07.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, I like fusion. Fusion's much better.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.87,0:01:09.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you take two small nuclei,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.56,0:01:12.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you put it together, and you make helium,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.07,0:01:13.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that's very nice.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.43,0:01:14.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It makes lots of energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.97,0:01:17.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is nature's way of producing energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.57,0:01:19.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The sun and all the stars in the universe
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.98,0:01:22.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,run on fusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.23,0:01:24.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, a fusion plant
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.12,0:01:26.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would actually be quite cost-effective
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.44,0:01:28.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it also would be quite safe.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.43,0:01:32.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It only produces short term radioactive waste,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.86,0:01:34.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it cannot melt down.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.89,0:01:37.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, the fuel from fusion comes from the ocean.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.42,0:01:39.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the ocean, you can extract the fuel
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.24,0:01:41.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for about one thousandth of a cent
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.13,0:01:43.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,per kilowatt-hour, so that's very, very cheap.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.46,0:01:46.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if the whole planet would run on fusion,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.85,0:01:48.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we could extract the fuel from the ocean.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.29,0:01:51.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It would run for billions and billions of years.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.56,0:01:55.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, if fusion is so great, why don't we have it?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.33,0:01:56.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Where is it?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.66,0:01:58.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, there's always a bit of a catch.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.51,0:02:01.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Fusion is really, really hard to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.75,0:02:04.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the problem is, those two nuclei,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.23,0:02:05.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they are both positively charged,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.86,0:02:07.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so they don't want to fuse.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.65,0:02:09.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They go like this. They go like that.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.43,0:02:10.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in order to make them fuse,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.39,0:02:12.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you have to throw them at\Neach other with great speed,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.58,0:02:13.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if they have enough speed,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.49,0:02:15.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they will go against the repulsion,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.33,0:02:17.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they will touch, and they will make energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.48,0:02:19.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, the particle speed
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.89,0:02:21.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is a measure of the temperature.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.66,0:02:23.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the temperature required for fusion
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.40,0:02:26.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is 150 billion degrees C.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.56,0:02:28.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is rather warm,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.39,0:02:31.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this is why fusion is so hard to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.84,0:02:33.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, I caught my little fusion bug
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.86,0:02:37.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when I did my Ph.D. here at the\NUniversity of British Columbia,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.53,0:02:40.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then I got a big job in a laser printer place
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.58,0:02:43.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,making printing for the printing industry.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.12,0:02:45.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I worked there for 10 years,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.38,0:02:47.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I got a little bit bored,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.06,0:02:50.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then I was 40, and I got a mid-life crisis,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.01,0:02:51.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you know, the usual thing:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.64,0:02:54.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who am I? What should I do?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.10,0:02:56.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What should I do? What can I do?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.69,0:02:58.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then I was looking at my good work,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.74,0:03:00.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and what I was doing is I was cutting the forests
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.79,0:03:02.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,around here in B.C.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.14,0:03:03.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and burying you, all of you,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.74,0:03:07.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in millions of tons of junk mail.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.18,0:03:09.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, that was not very satisfactory.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.12,0:03:11.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So some people buy a Porsche.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.38,0:03:14.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Others get a mistress.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.15,0:03:15.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I've decided to get my bit
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.82,0:03:20.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to solve global warming and make fusion happen.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.09,0:03:21.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, so the first thing I did
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.82,0:03:24.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is I looked into the literature and I see,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.25,0:03:26.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how does fusion work?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.99,0:03:30.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the physicists have been\Nworking on fusion for a while,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.13,0:03:31.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and one of the ways they do it
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.45,0:03:33.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is with something called a tokamak.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.75,0:03:36.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a big ring of magnetic coil,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.48,0:03:37.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,superconducting coil,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.81,0:03:39.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it makes a magnetic field
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.16,0:03:40.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a ring like this,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.95,0:03:42.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the hot gas in the middle,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.34,0:03:44.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is called a plasma, is trapped.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.47,0:03:46.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The particles go round and round and round
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.22,0:03:47.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the circle at the wall.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.66,0:03:49.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then they throw a huge amount of heat in there
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.19,0:03:51.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to try to cook that to fusion temperature.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.66,0:03:53.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this is the inside of one of those donuts,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.99,0:03:55.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and on the right side you can see
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.32,0:03:57.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the fusion plasma in there.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.46,0:03:59.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, a second way of doing this
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.71,0:04:02.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is by using laser fusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.11,0:04:04.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now in laser fusion, you have a little ping pong ball,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.23,0:04:06.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you put the fusion fuel in the center,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.27,0:04:09.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you zap that with a whole\Nbunch of laser around it.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.20,0:04:10.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The lasers are very strong, and it squashes
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.91,0:04:12.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the ping pong ball really, really quick.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.63,0:04:14.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if you squeeze something hard enough,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.59,0:04:15.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it gets hotter,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.96,0:04:17.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if it gets really, really fast,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.36,0:04:19.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they do that in one billionth of a second,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.68,0:04:21.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it makes enough energy and enough heat
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.58,0:04:22.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to make fusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.92,0:04:24.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this is the inside of one such machine.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.99,0:04:26.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You see the laser beam and the pellet
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.84,0:04:28.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the center.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.39,0:04:31.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, most people think that fusion is going nowhere.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.35,0:04:34.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They always think that the physicists are in their lab
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.28,0:04:36.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they're working hard, but nothing is happening.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.10,0:04:37.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's actually not quite true.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.62,0:04:39.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a curve of the gain in fusion
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.61,0:04:41.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over the last 30 years or so,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.80,0:04:43.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you can see that we're making now
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.36,0:04:46.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about 10,000 times more fusion than we used to
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.19,0:04:47.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when we started.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.26,0:04:48.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's a pretty good gain.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.26,0:04:50.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As a matter of fact, it's as fast
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.24,0:04:51.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as the fabled Moore's Law
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.94,0:04:54.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that defined the amount of transistors
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.15,0:04:55.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they can put on a chip.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.67,0:04:58.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, this dot here is called JET,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.67,0:05:00.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Joint European Torus.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.09,0:05:02.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a big tokamak donut in Europe,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.52,0:05:05.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this machine in 1997
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.59,0:05:08.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,produced 16 megawatts of fusion power
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.82,0:05:10.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with 17 megawatts of heat.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.98,0:05:12.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, you say, that's not much use,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.78,0:05:14.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it's actually pretty close,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.49,0:05:15.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,considering we can get
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.53,0:05:17.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about 10,000 times more than we started.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.84,0:05:20.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The second dot here is the NIF.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.45,0:05:22.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's the National Ignition Facility.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.74,0:05:25.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a big laser machine in the U.S.,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.26,0:05:26.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and last month they announced
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.54,0:05:28.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with quite a bit of noise
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.39,0:05:30.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they had managed to make more fusion energy
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.55,0:05:32.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from the fusion
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.14,0:05:34.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than the energy that they put in \Nthe center of the ping pong ball.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:34.100,0:05:36.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, that's not quite good enough,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.82,0:05:38.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because the laser to put that energy in
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.52,0:05:40.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was more energy than that,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.26,0:05:42.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it was pretty good.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.30,0:05:44.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now this is ITER,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.02,0:05:46.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,pronounced in French: EE-tairh.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.08,0:05:49.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this is a big collaboration of different countries
Dialogue: 0,0:05:49.21,0:05:51.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are building a huge magnetic donut
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.07,0:05:53.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the south of France,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.01,0:05:55.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this machine, when it's finished,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.02,0:05:57.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,will produce 500 megawatts of fusion power
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.80,0:06:00.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with only 50 megawatts to make it.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.20,0:06:01.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this one is the real one.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.38,0:06:02.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's going to work.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.11,0:06:04.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's the kind of machine that makes energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.31,0:06:06.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now if you look at the graph, you will notice
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.06,0:06:07.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that those two dots are a little bit
Dialogue: 0,0:06:07.57,0:06:08.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the right of the curve.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.61,0:06:10.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We kind of have fallen off the progress.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.54,0:06:12.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Actually, the science to make those machines
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.53,0:06:14.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was really in time
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.07,0:06:16.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to produce fusion during that curve.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.91,0:06:19.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, there has been a bit of politics going on,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.64,0:06:21.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the will to do it was not there,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:21.78,0:06:23.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so it drifted to the right.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.46,0:06:25.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ITER, for example, could have been built
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.51,0:06:27.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in 2000 or 2005,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.36,0:06:29.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but because it's a big international collaboration,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:29.81,0:06:32.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the politics got in and it delayed it a bit.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.26,0:06:33.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, it took them about three years
Dialogue: 0,0:06:33.88,0:06:35.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to decide where to put it.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.45,0:06:37.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, fusion is often criticized
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.98,0:06:39.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for being a little too expensive.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:39.58,0:06:41.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yes, it did cost
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.12,0:06:43.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a billion dollars or two billion dollars a year
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.16,0:06:44.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to make this progress.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:44.35,0:06:45.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But you have to compare that to the cost
Dialogue: 0,0:06:45.94,0:06:47.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of making Moore's Law.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:47.18,0:06:49.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That cost way more than that.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.07,0:06:50.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The result of Moore's Law
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.59,0:06:52.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is this cell phone here in my pocket.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.52,0:06:54.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This cell phone, and the Internet behind it,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:54.75,0:06:57.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cost about one trillion dollars,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.43,0:07:00.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just so I can take a selfie
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.66,0:07:03.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and put it on Facebook.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:03.24,0:07:04.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then when my dad sees that,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.74,0:07:07.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he'll be very proud.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.92,0:07:11.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We also spend about 650 billion dollars a year
Dialogue: 0,0:07:11.83,0:07:14.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in subsidies for oil and gas
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.13,0:07:15.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and renewable energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.76,0:07:19.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, we spend one half of a percent of that on fusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.93,0:07:22.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So me, personally, I don't think it's too expensive.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.58,0:07:24.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think it's actually been shortchanged,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.36,0:07:26.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,considering it can solve all our energy problems
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.75,0:07:29.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cleanly for the next couple of billions of years.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:29.43,0:07:32.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now I can say that, but I'm a little bit biased,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.09,0:07:33.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because I started a fusion company
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.98,0:07:36.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I don't even have a Facebook account.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.53,0:07:41.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when I started this fusion company in 2002,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.92,0:07:44.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I knew I couldn't fight with the big lads.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.76,0:07:46.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They had much more resources than me.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:46.34,0:07:48.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I decided I would need to find a solution
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.58,0:07:50.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that is cheaper and faster.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.46,0:07:52.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now magnetic and laser fusion
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.37,0:07:53.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are pretty good machines.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:53.80,0:07:55.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They are awesome pieces of technology,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:55.24,0:07:57.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wonderful machines, and they have shown
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.12,0:07:58.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that fusion can be done.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:58.60,0:08:00.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, as a power plant,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.55,0:08:02.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I don't think they're very good.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:02.42,0:08:04.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're way too big, way too complicated,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.48,0:08:05.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,way too expensive,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:05.62,0:08:07.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and also, they don't deal very much
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.37,0:08:08.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the fusion energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:08.65,0:08:10.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When you make fusion, the energy comes out
Dialogue: 0,0:08:10.41,0:08:13.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as neutrons, fast neutrons comes out of the plasma.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:13.07,0:08:15.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Those neutrons hit the wall of the machine.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:15.33,0:08:16.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It damages it.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.72,0:08:18.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And also, you have to catch\Nthe heat from those neutrons
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.68,0:08:21.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and run some steam to spin a turbine somewhere,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:21.12,0:08:22.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and on those machines,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.40,0:08:25.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was all a bit of an afterthought.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:25.03,0:08:28.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I decided that surely there\Nis a better way of doing that.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:28.18,0:08:29.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So back to the literature,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.47,0:08:31.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I read about the fusion everywhere.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.46,0:08:34.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One way in particular attracted my attention,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.18,0:08:36.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's called magnetized target fusion,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.27,0:08:38.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or MTF for short.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.86,0:08:41.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, in MTF, what you want to do
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.30,0:08:43.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is you take a big vat
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.27,0:08:45.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you fill that with liquid metal,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.29,0:08:46.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you spin the liquid metal
Dialogue: 0,0:08:46.81,0:08:48.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to open a vortex in the center,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:48.45,0:08:49.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a bit like your sink.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.59,0:08:51.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When you pull the plug on a sink, it makes a vortex.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:51.69,0:08:54.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then you have some pistons driven by pressure
Dialogue: 0,0:08:54.09,0:08:55.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that goes on the outside,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:55.57,0:08:57.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this compresses the liquid metal
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.49,0:08:59.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,around the plasma, and it compresses it,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:59.25,0:09:00.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it gets hotter, like a laser,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:00.90,0:09:02.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then it makes fusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:02.13,0:09:03.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's a bit of a mix
Dialogue: 0,0:09:03.05,0:09:04.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between a magnetized fusion
Dialogue: 0,0:09:04.70,0:09:06.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the laser fusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:06.69,0:09:09.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So those have a couple of very good advantages.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:09.46,0:09:11.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The liquid metal absorbs all the neutrons
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.80,0:09:13.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and no neutrons hit the wall,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:13.56,0:09:15.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and therefore there's no damage to the machine.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:15.69,0:09:17.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The liquid metal gets hot,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:17.15,0:09:19.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so you can pump that in a heat exchanger,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:19.15,0:09:21.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,make some steam, spin a turbine.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:21.03,0:09:22.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that's a very convenient way of doing
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.21,0:09:23.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this part of the process.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.47,0:09:27.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And finally, all the energy to make the fusion happen
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.06,0:09:29.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,comes from steam-powered pistons,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:29.20,0:09:30.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is way cheaper than lasers
Dialogue: 0,0:09:30.85,0:09:32.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or superconducting coils.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:32.74,0:09:34.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, this was all very good
Dialogue: 0,0:09:34.23,0:09:36.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,except for the problem that it didn't quite work.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:36.74,0:09:38.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:09:38.61,0:09:39.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's always a catch.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.90,0:09:41.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when you compress that,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:41.42,0:09:43.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the plasma cools down
Dialogue: 0,0:09:43.34,0:09:44.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,faster than the compression speed,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:44.97,0:09:46.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so you're trying to compress it,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:46.28,0:09:48.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but the plasma cooled down and\Ncooled down and cooled down
Dialogue: 0,0:09:48.62,0:09:50.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then it did absolutely nothing.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.56,0:09:52.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when I saw that, I said,\Nwell, this is such a shame,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:52.59,0:09:54.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because it's a very, very good idea.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.34,0:09:56.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So hopefully I can improve on that.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:56.70,0:09:57.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I thought about it for a minute,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:57.79,0:09:59.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I said, okay, how can we make that work better?
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.87,0:10:01.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So then I thought about impact.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.73,0:10:03.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What about if we use a big hammer
Dialogue: 0,0:10:03.56,0:10:06.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we swing it and we hit the nail like this,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:06.09,0:10:08.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the place of putting the hammer on the nail
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.07,0:10:10.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and pushing and try to put it in? That won't work.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:10.26,0:10:12.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what the idea is
Dialogue: 0,0:10:12.19,0:10:13.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is to use the idea of an impact.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.94,0:10:16.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we accelerate the pistons with steam,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:16.02,0:10:17.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that takes a little bit of time,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:17.30,0:10:19.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but then, bang! you hit the piston,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:19.28,0:10:21.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and, baff!, all the energy is done instantly,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:21.83,0:10:23.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,down instantly to the liquid,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:23.43,0:10:25.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that compresses the plasma much faster.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:25.48,0:10:27.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I decided, okay, this is good, let's make that.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:27.93,0:10:31.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we built this machine in this garage here.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:31.65,0:10:32.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We made a small machine
Dialogue: 0,0:10:32.74,0:10:34.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we managed to squeeze
Dialogue: 0,0:10:34.71,0:10:36.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a little bit of neutrons out of that,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.36,0:10:38.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and those are my marketing neutrons,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.56,0:10:40.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and with those marketing neutrons,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:40.00,0:10:42.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then I raised about 50 million dollars,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:42.60,0:10:45.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I hired 65 people. That's my team here.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:45.49,0:10:47.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is what we want to build.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:47.07,0:10:48.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's going to be a big machine,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:48.59,0:10:50.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about three meters in diameter,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.06,0:10:51.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,liquid lead spinning around,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:51.86,0:10:53.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,big vortex in the center,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:53.45,0:10:55.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,put the plasma on the top and on the bottom,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:55.77,0:10:57.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,piston hits on the side,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:57.20,0:10:58.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bang!, it compresses it,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:58.71,0:10:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it will make some energy,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:59.99,0:11:02.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the neutron will come out in the liquid metal,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.39,0:11:04.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,going to go in a steam engine and make the turbine,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:04.99,0:11:06.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and some of the steam will go back
Dialogue: 0,0:11:06.49,0:11:07.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to fire the piston.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:07.49,0:11:09.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're going to run that about one time per second,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:09.38,0:11:14.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it will produce 100 megawatts of electricity.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:14.76,0:11:16.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay, we also built this injector,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:16.45,0:11:18.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so this injector makes the plasma to start with.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:18.74,0:11:20.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It makes the plasma at about
Dialogue: 0,0:11:20.45,0:11:24.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a lukewarm temperature of three million degrees C.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:24.43,0:11:26.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Unfortunately, it doesn't last quite long enough,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:26.63,0:11:29.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so we need to extend the life\Nof the plasma a little bit,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.77,0:11:31.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but last month it got a lot better,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:31.40,0:11:33.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so I think we have the plasma compressing now.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:33.98,0:11:36.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then we built a small sphere, about this big,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:36.54,0:11:38.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,14 pistons around it,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:38.01,0:11:40.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this will compress the liquid.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.33,0:11:42.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, plasma is difficult to compress.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:42.44,0:11:43.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When you compress it,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:43.22,0:11:45.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it tends to go a little bit crooked like that,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:45.78,0:11:47.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so you need the timing of the piston
Dialogue: 0,0:11:47.38,0:11:48.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be very good,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:48.48,0:11:51.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and for that we use several control systems,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:51.15,0:11:53.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which was not possible in 1970,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:53.36,0:11:54.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but we now can do that
Dialogue: 0,0:11:54.75,0:11:58.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with nice, new electronics.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:58.04,0:12:00.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So finally, most people think that fusion
Dialogue: 0,0:12:00.57,0:12:02.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is in the future and will never happen,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:02.72,0:12:05.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but as a matter of fact, fusion is getting very close.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:05.81,0:12:06.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We are almost there.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:06.89,0:12:09.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The big labs have shown that fusion is doable,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:09.53,0:12:11.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and now there are small companies\Nthat are thinking about that,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:11.83,0:12:14.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they say, it's not that it cannot be done,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:14.20,0:12:16.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it's how to make it cost-effectively.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:16.30,0:12:18.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,General Fusion is one of those small companies,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:18.45,0:12:21.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and hopefully, very soon, somebody, someone,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:21.77,0:12:23.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,will crack that nut,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:23.05,0:12:24.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and perhaps it will be General Fusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:24.63,0:12:26.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you very much.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:26.41,0:12:30.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)