China has reached a significant milestone by completing and operating the world’s first fully superconducting high-temperature tokamak, named HH70, in Shanghai on June 18.
HH70 Tokamak by Energy Singularity. (Photo: Energy Singularity)
The tokamak is often referred to as “an artificial Sun” and is typically quite large and expensive. Designed and constructed by the commercial company Energy Singularity, the HH70 is smaller and more cost-effective, paving the way for commercially viable fusion reactors in the future, according to Guo Houyang, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Energy Singularity. The HH70 features a magnetic field system built from the world’s first high-temperature superconducting materials. Energy Singularity achieved this within two years, setting a world record for the fastest development and construction of a tokamak, according to CGTN.
The successful operation of HH70 confirms the technical feasibility of high-temperature superconducting tokamaks, opening up a future for clean and sustainable energy. According to the World Energy Outlook, if fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal gradually withdraw from the global market, humanity will face an energy shortfall of over 10% by 2050. This presents both a significant opportunity and challenge for the management and utilization of fusion energy.
In recent years, breakthroughs in high-temperature superconductors and various other technologies have enabled the development of economically viable tokamaks. A tokamak is an experimental machine designed to harness fusion energy. If it can generate more energy than it consumes, it will provide a solution to combat climate change and resource depletion.
By 2027, Energy Singularity aims to construct a next-generation tokamak, featuring high temperatures and magnetic fields with stable conditions. This project will lay the foundation for the ultimate goal of building a prototype fusion power plant by 2030, according to Guo.
