Article published in Magazine nº11 Africa Supply Chain 

FUSION Innovation Takes Center Stage at COP28 Alpha Ring has been attending what is probably considered the most important international event of the year: COP28 in Dubai. 197 Countries participated at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, in a joint effort to curb the planet’s global warming and its consequences in terms of pollution

For visitors exploring the thematic pavilions and strolling beneath broad, shaded pathways, a recurrent term that caught their attention was “Decarbonization.” This is, apparently, COP28’s keyword and mantra, both for Governments and private enterprises, who most likely agree to join forces to effectively address and alleviate such a complex issue as climate change.

And the most effective way to pursue this goal is not a list of good intentions to be endorsed by each nation, nor a set of proposals built on wishful thinking. The true solution lies in technology.

Now that COP28 is reaching its last days, the signature of an agreement among all Countries seems to have Iran and Saudi Arabia not ready to give up on their oil and gas yet, citing them as a crucial source of energy supply and revenue generation. Their argument suggests that fossil fuels too early, allegedly, risks cooling down the global economy of a fast-growing, energy-thirsty world. Even if this might be partly taken into consideration, there’s the even bigger risk, on the other hand, of having this energy transformation slowed down by petrol companies’ interests.

It’s hard, right now, to evaluate how and when the world will be able to get rid of fossil fuels. However, it’s far too evident that clean and alternative energy sources will play a major role in the future. Traditionally, solar, wind, and hydropower have been the predominant players in the realm of renewable and clean energy sources. But Cop28 set a new course, opening to what might be the next big thing: Fusion Energy.

John Kerry at COP28: Fusion Energy Can Revolutionize Our World

Alpha Ring’s participation at COP28 was relevant and timely, being fusion probably the most discussed topic during the Climate Change Conference. John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, in his opening speech at the Blue Zone, clearly stated that fusion is going to revolutionize the world, providing humanity with abundant and clean energy without the harmful emissions of traditional sources.

To clear the ground from possible misinterpretations, fusion – unlike fission – is a much safer and controllable way to produce energy. Fission, most notably associated with atomic bombs or nuclear traditional power plants, creates its energy by splitting heavy atoms like uranium or plutonium, releasing radioactive particles in the process. Fusion, unlike fission, invites atoms to fuse, generating – in a controllable process – a high amount of energy that is safer, cleaner, and extremely efficient.

Alpha Ring, a California-based fusion technology company with laboratories in Monterey, Gardena, and Taipei, has garnered notable attention from companies, stakeholders, and a broad international audience. Its mission is simple and clear: to provide clean, safe, affordable energy to the world. A mission that rhymes with fusion, innovation, education, and finally, decarbonization.

Alpha Ring Unveils World’s First Educational Fusion Accelerator

Alpha Ring believes in Education in fusion sciences. For this reason, it developed an Educational Fusion Accelerator or EESG, the world’s first tabletop device that replicates every kind of fusion reaction, illustrating to graduate and post-graduate students how fusion happens, derived from ION Beam system. The ION Beam System is designed for future scientists and thinkers and is sized to suit any university or research institution. Such translation of theory into practice provides them with real, tangible evidence of nuclear fusion, fostering their understanding of science and its unlimited potential.

The ION Beam System is capable of producing all relevant fusion reactions, such as Deuterium-Deuterium (DD), Deuterium-Tritium (DT), and proton-Boron (pB) reactions.

DD Fusion

The ION Beam System accelerates deuterons from a deuterium plasma to tens of keV. These highly energetic ions then bombard a thin aluminum foil target and become lodged into the metal lattice.

Subsequent deuterons strike the deuterium in the target to initiate DD fusion. The DD fusion reaction produces two distinct branches each with its own unique particles and energy outputs. One branch results in the creation of Helium-3 (0.82MeV) and a neutron (2.45Mev), while the other generates a proton (3.02MeV) and a triton (1.01Mev).

pB Fusion

By changing the target to one that contains boron and starting with a hydrogen plasma, pB fusion can also be studied and the energy spectrum of fusion product alpha particles (3-8 MeV) can be observed. Since the target reactant is already present, there is no preliminary loading step.

A Game Changer in Micro Fusion and Hydrogen on Demand

In addition, Alpha Ring produces a micro fusion machine that utilizes a proton-boron reaction to produce energy. The compact tabletop dimensions of this device enable it to be deployed precisely where energy is required, following a decentralized and autonomous model that eliminates power losses during transportation.

The energy produced is clean and safe. Its scale might be small, but its portability is bound to be a great revolution, and such technology can be easily scaled up shortly. Alpha Ring’s micro fusion machines can be installed in series just like battery packs, increasing the power output according to need.

Lastly, Alpha Ring applies its plasma technology to obtain Hydrogen on Demand: starting from natural gas, the device splits methane into hydrogen and carbon powder, two precious highly sought-after elements. Moreover, no greenhouse gases are released into the air along the anaerobic process. The idea is to generate energy where it’s needed, eliminating the costs and complications of hydrogen’s storage and transportation.

Alpha Ring International has been deeply engaged in fusion technology since 2009 and it has filed, to date, more than 60 patents in key global markets across 26 patent families. Its technology is not just ahead of the curve but seems to be in a timely intersection between governments’ interest and public attention.

WI Harper, the Venture Capital firm that invested in Alpha Ring back in 2015, gave the Company a real boost in terms of innovation and vision. New talents in science and engineering have been hired ever since. WI Harper’s founder, Peter Liu, who now holds the position of CEO at Alpha Ring, has been invited by Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber in person to join the UN Conference that took place inside COP28’s Blue Zone.

And it was precisely here while sharing ideas and a vision among top world leaders and scientists, that Peter Liu had the confirmation that Alpha Ring’s path is going in the right direction, and well ahead of competitors.

Contracts and agreements have been signed between Alpha Ring and international strategic partners and industries to accelerate not only fusion technology, but also to generate a fusion of intents where competence, human excellence, innovation, and vision are combined to address today’s environmental issues with a clean, safe, and affordable source of energy.

Alpha Ring