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The LA Times Studios and Monks lounge brought a different kind of spark to CES this year.
At the bustling Foundry, a standing-room-only crowd gathered for “Hot Takes on Fusion,” a session that traded dry technical specs for high-energy “color commentary.” The event paired heavy-hitting nuclear physicists with the comedic stylings of Randy and Jason Sklar, proving that the “Holy Grail” of clean energy is actually a lot of fun to talk about.
The panel featured Dr. Tammy Ma, Director of the Livermore Institute for Fusion Technology, and Dr. Alex Creeley, Chief Engineer at Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS). While the scientists broke down the breakthroughs, the Sklar brothers were on hand to provide “layman’s terms” and punchlines, comparing the intricate physics of fusion to everything from Steve Ballmer’s aggressive energy to the perils of 14-year-olds building reactors in Arkansas garages.
The Breakthrough: Recreating a Star
Fusion is the process that powers the sun – taking hydrogen atoms and smashing them together to release massive amounts of energy. As Dr. Ma explained, the National Ignition Facility achieved a world-first in 2022: Ignition. This means they got more energy out of the fusion plasma than they put in to start the reaction.
The potential is staggering. Dr. Ma noted that fusion fuel, partly derived from seawater, is so abundant that it could power human civilization for 30 billion years with zero carbon emissions. “A single pound of fusion fuel is enough to run a city the size of San Francisco for an entire day,” she added.
Lasers vs. Magnets: Two Paths to Power
The discussion highlighted a “friendly rivalry” between two different technical approaches:
- Livermore (Inertial Confinement): Dr. Ma’s team uses the world’s most energetic laser – the size of three football fields – to compress a tiny pellet of fuel until it becomes a “miniature star.”
- Commonwealth Fusion (Magnetic Confinement): Dr. Creeley’s private firm uses massive magnets strong enough to “pick up an aircraft carrier” to hold a donut-shaped cloud of burning fuel in place.
Hope for a Planet-Sized Problem
Beyond the technical talk, the session focused on the mission. Dr. Creeley noted that CFS is building its “Spark” facility in Massachusetts now, with a commercial power plant, “Arc,” slated for the early 2030s. The goal isn’t just to sell power, but to change the global geopolitical landscape by making energy as ubiquitous as salt.
Highlights – and Punchlines – From the Show
Dr. Tammy Ma on the future of energy: “If we can make fusion happen, energy is no longer a strategic commodity that we fight wars over. It just becomes a regular commodity like salt… that’s what fusion can do for energy.”
Dr. Alex Creeley on the “Holy Grail” of power: “We manufacture a product. That product sits somewhere and just makes electricity for decades… it’s a totally new way of thinking about energy: clean, sustainable, and secure.”
The Sklar Brothers on the difference between Fission and Fusion: “Fission is if your parents sit you down and tell you they’re getting a divorce– it creates energy and emotions. Fusion is if you walk in on them having sex – it creates energy, and it might create a little brother.”
