Google加碼投資核融合電廠！攜手Commonwealth推動未來無碳核能轉型
根據《巴隆周刊》（Barron's）報導，這座核融合電廠基於麻省理工學院（MIT）研究成果，預計將於 2030 年代初開始供電，是全球第一個計畫性商業核融合發電案之一。
Google 清潔能源與碳排減量高級總監 Michael Terrell 表示：「在我們看來，這是一項改變世界的技術。」
先前，Google 就已參與 Commonwealth 先前的融資輪，並投資另一家核融合公司 TAE Technologies，後者也獲得石油巨頭雪佛龍（Chevron）支持。
核融合原理近似太陽發電 每公斤燃料能量遠超核分裂
與現今核能電廠採用的「核分裂」不同，核融合透過結合兩個原子核產生能量，模仿太陽發電原理。根據國際原子能總署（IAEA），每公斤核融合燃料所產生的能量是核分裂的 4 倍，甚至比燃燒石油或煤炭高出近 400 萬倍。
在 AI 資料中心與電動車電力需求激增之際，核融合電力被視為實現能源穩定與碳中和的關鍵。Google 母公司 Alphabet 承諾於 2030 年實現全球 24 小時使用無碳能源的目標。
除了 Google，微軟 (MSFT-US) 也在 2023 年與核融合公司 Helion 簽署協議，承諾 2028 年前購買 50 兆瓦核融合電力。Helion 的主要投資者之一為 OpenAI 執行長 Sam Altman，顯示矽谷科技圈對核融合的重視程度日益上升。
核融合距離商轉不再遙遠 2027 年有望實現「點火」突破
儘管核融合技術長期被認為「永遠還要再過 20 年」，但進展顯著加快。加州一處政府實驗室於 2022 年成功實現「點火」實驗，即輸出能量大於啟動能量。Commonwealth 執行長 Bob Mumgaard 表示，公司目標在 2027 年複製此突破。
彭博新能源財經分析師 Gadomski 指出，隨著超級運算、3D 列印、先進材料與磁體技術的進步，核融合工程已具備實現條件。他表示：「我對核融合的前景感到樂觀。」
儘管技術樂觀聲音不斷，市場上仍有保守聲音。資本創新公司（Capital Innovations）投資長 Michael Underhill 就認為，核融合距離商業化仍需 15 至 30 年。
Google 的 Terrell 最後表示：「核融合雖是長期布局，但現在這個長期看起來不再那麼遙遠。我們希望確保自己也投資在這個未來能源上。」
更多鉅亨報導•快抄筆記！美國女股神木頭姐最新布局：AI、防務、核能•川普簽行政令促核能發展 核能股全面強彈
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
13 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Cold Lake pharmacist Bob Mattice retires after 44 Years, eyes mayoral run
On June 25, Mattice was celebrated by family, staff, and longtime customers during a farewell event marking his retirement from pharmacy management. His last official day on the job will be June 29. 'I have mixed emotions about it. It's such a privilege to be people's pharmacist,' Mattice said. 'But it's time.' For 44 years, Mattice built a career around care and connection. He began his journey on May 21, 1981, in Westlock. 'I thought I was the king of everything because I made $12.50 an hour,' he joked. 'I drove a Camaro and had a mullet,' he recalled. After working in Rocky Mountain House, Mattice and his family made Cold Lake home on August 2, 1988. Mattice recalled buying the original pharmacy on Main Street, where Panago sits today, and relocating to the mall in 1997. Since then, Tri-City Guardian has been a cornerstone of the community. Reflecting on the relationships he built over that time, Mattice said, 'You could give better health care by knowing the family history and everything, so that was really cool,' adding that in some cases he has served three generations of families. Beyond medications and prescriptions, Mattice became known for his humor, generosity, and Saskatchewan work ethic. 'I get to try a lot of jokes on everybody, so that's always good,' he laughed. Though he's stepping away from the pharmacy, Mattice won't be stepping away from Cold Lake. 'We do have plans, we're not going anywhere. I'm just retiring from pharmacy management.' And he's already preparing for his next chapter, running for mayor in the upcoming municipal election. 'I've always had that public service in my mind, like, bloom where you're planted,' he said. 'I always want to give back to the community, make Cold Lake a better place for people.' His years as a pharmacist, he said, have given him deep insights into healthcare access, community needs, and crisis management. 'How to bridge the gaps in the doctor shortage, how to bridge the gaps in human kindness where people don't have any money,' he explained. 'Just that whole how to take care of a town or your base of patients.' Even in retirement, Mattice plans to keep his license active. 'Because it's like your grandpa's driver's license — if you give it up, you don't get it back,' he said. With 37 years in Cold Lake and 44 in pharmacy, Mattice remains grateful. 'I've been very fortunate, and I put the work in, but still — been very fortunate with people and customers and staff.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Android Authority
16 minutes ago
- Android Authority
Nothing's Android 16 update will arrive before the end of the quarter as Nothing OS 4.0
Nothing TL;DR Nothing has confirmed that its Android 16 update will reach users by September. Nothing OS 4.0 will likely debut on the newly launched Phone 3 before rolling out to older models. Nothing Phone 2 and newer models will receive the update, but the original Phone 1 is not eligible. Thanks to Google releasing stable Android 16 for its Pixel lineup earlier than usual, several OEMs are expected to ship their Android 16 updates ahead of schedule this year. Samsung will likely debut One UI 8 based on Android 16 with the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. Nothing has also confirmed that it will follow suit by releasing Nothing OS 4.0 much earlier. During yesterday's Phone 3 launch event, Nothing announced that although its new flagship will ship with Nothing OS 3.5 based on Android 15, Nothing OS 4.0 based on Android 16 will 'arrive in Q3 2025.' We suspect the platform upgrade will first reach the newly launched Phone 3, before rolling out to older models. Nothing Phone 2 and newer models will receive the Android 16 update, but the original Phone 1 is not eligible for the release. At the moment, Nothing has not shared the exact release timeline for these devices. We expect the company to share all details closer to the rollout. We have little information about the features and improvements that could arrive with Nothing OS 4.0, but it's safe to assume that it will include all the significant changes included in Android 16. Nothing will likely test beta builds with select users ahead of the stable release, which should give us a better idea of what's new in the update. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
28 minutes ago
- Android Authority
Android TV gets silently updated with more home screen content tabs — whether you like it or not
Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority TL;DR Android TV devices are receiving new content tabs on the home screen via a server-side update. These new tabs add 'Top Selling Movies,' 'Popular Movies and Shows,' and 'Trending on Google' to the home screen. There's no way to opt out of the update, so users who dislike the added clutter can consider switching to alternative Android TV launchers. Android TV, as a platform, is still very much around, but it has been overshadowed by Google TV, a content engine that sits on top of the platform. Users have frequently complained about updates from Android TV to Google TV turning their TV and streaming sticks into a lag fest, and you can blame their probably low-specced hardware and the intrusive ad-ridden platform for it. Android TV has managed to stay relatively clean from these changes, but it seems the content engine is coming for it too. Reddit user aniruddhdodiya spotted that their Android TV was recently updated to feature three extra tabs in the home screen. Their TV already came with a Play Next tab, but now they also had tabs for Top Selling Movies, Popular Movies and Shows, and Trending on Google. I have received the new tabs on my Sony Bravia X80H, which runs on Android TV 10 with the December 2024 security patch. The content tabs are similar in category to those on Google TV. Unsurprisingly, the content tabs surface recommendations even from apps I don't have installed, so I need to subscribe to new services to view them. What makes this change even worse is that some of these categories already exist on the home screen — on my Sony TV, I already have a dedicated Top-selling Movies row on the home screen, so now I end up with two rows of the same content ads. Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority This change is very likely rolling out to Android TV devices through a server-side update of either the Android TV Home app or the Android TV Core Services app, so there's no way for you to avoid it unless you change the launcher. Many people who have stuck with Android TV will hate that their home screen now has more clutter and more monetization surfaces for Google to push 'recommendations' through. Some people may like the change, though, as it would let them discover new content right on the home screen, though one can argue there were already plenty of ways to do so. If you have received the new tabs and hate them, you can consider switching to alternative Android TV launchers like Projectivy Launcher that let you ditch the recommendations for a cleaner TV experience. You'll probably even get a faster and sleeker experience than the stock launcher, so try it out. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
