Laser-powered fusion experiment more than doubles its power output

image via TechCrunch

May 17, 2025, 7:02 PM

• •The U.S. Department of Energy's National Ignition Facility (NIF) has increased the power output of its net-positive fusion experiment.
• •The recent attempts increased the yield of the experiment to 8.6 megajoules, a significant improvement over the historic experiment in 2022.
• •While the experiment has not reached the point of feeding electrons back into the grid, the results are continued proof that controlled nuclear fusion is more than hypothetical.

The world's only net-positive fusion experiment, conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Ignition Facility (NIF), has significantly increased its power output. The team achieved a yield of 8.6 megajoules, marking a substantial improvement over the initial net-positive result from 2022. These advancements demonstrate continued progress in controlled nuclear fusion research. Although the experiment isn't yet producing electricity for the grid, the results validate the viability of fusion as a future energy source.

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