Artificial sun solar power generation

What is a 'artificial sun' and how does it work?

There is nothing like the sun to provide humans with unlimited clean energy. An "artificial sun" is a mega nuclear fusion device, which generates energy through a fusion process similar to that of the sun. The process uses atomic nuclei to generate large amounts of energy into electricity, by merging hydrogen atoms to create helium.

What is China's 'artificial sun'?

China has completed the construction and put into operation its commercial 'artificial sun,' marking a significant breakthrough in global fusion technology. On June 19, fusion energy company Energy Singularity announced that the world's first full high-temperature superconducting tokamak device had achieved its first plasma.

Can artificial solar energy conversion improve food security?

This is not a new task – scientists from many disciplines have been pursuing artificial and bio‐engineered systems for solar energy conversion for decades – but recent progress has increased optimism that such technologies could eventually make a major contribution to both energy and food security.

Can a PV cell convert artificial light into electricity?

Some PV cells can convert artificial light into electricity. Sunlight is composed of photons, or particles of solar energy. These photons contain varying amounts of energy that correspond to the different wavelengths of the solar spectrum. A PV cell is made of semiconductor material.

What are artificial photosynthesis systems?

Inspired by natural photosynthesis, researchers have developed many artificial photosynthesis systems (APS's) that integrate various photocatalysts and biocatalysts to convert and store solar energy in the fields of resource, environment, food, and energy.

How has China contributed to the development of 'artificial suns'?

China has been contributing extensively to the development of "artificial suns." The latest breakthrough came from the Huanliu-3. In August, the new-generation "artificial sun" achieved the high-confinement mode operation with a plasma current of 1 million amperes for the first time, proving China's ability in controllable nuclear fusion.