How “Z-pinch” could be the way ahead for fusion and clean energy

Decoding Innovation

In this episode of the Decoding Innovation podcast series, Ryan Umstattd, VP of Product Development at Zap Energy, talks about the future of clean energy production through efficient fusion techniques.

Many people still see nuclear fusion as a far-flung, futuristic solution for cleaner energy. But the truth is, every day, scientists and energy-generation companies around the world are proving that this technology is becoming viable in our own present day.

Deuterium and tritium have been observed as the main sources of fuel to design futuristic, commercially viable fusion plants worldwide. Among the many paths to generating fusion energy, choosing the right approach that can be commercially sustainable and successful has been the key differentiator between energy companies across the globe.

Ryan Umstattd, VP of Product Development at Zap Energy, shares his insights on how commercialization of fusion for energy generation is not that far away, and dives deep into Zap Energy’s approach to generating clean fusion energy and much more.

Key takeaways:

• Harnessing the power of self-generated magnetic fields for generating clean energy can be a game-changer for building commercially viable fusion plants.
• Stabilizing the Z-pinch and keeping it going for longer periods can generate useful fusion reactions that can be utilized toward clean energy generation.
• Density and temperature are the major challenges in stabilizing the Z-pinch within fusion reactors.