Introduction

This is a conversation with Thomas Sunn Pedersen, Director of the Stellarator Edge and Divertor Physics Division at the Greifswald branch of the Max-Planck Institute of Plasma Physics in Germany. Thomas explains the progress that has occurred in fusion research over the past few decades, and how far away are we are from creating practical fusion reactors. He also discusses the obstacles that still need to be overcome, and the potential social, political, and environmental impacts of fusion technology.

►Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zWAJ0QylWig

►Find out more about Thomas' research here: https://www.ipp.mpg.de/1084854/pedersen

►Images and diagrams of ITER can be found here: https://www.iter.org/press

►Images at 00:16:16 and 00:19:39 taken with permission from T. Sunn Pedersen et al. Nature Communications 7, Article number: 13493 (2016)

►The short 20s clip at 00:38:00 labelled `Wigner RCP' was taken using a high time resolution camera, and shows the genesis and growth of the plasma in Wendelstein 7-X. It was provided by Centre for Energy Research in Hungary.