Goal 10: Vision of Society in 2050 (Illustration)

What will society look like in 2050?

An illustrated guide on what society might look like in 2050 if Goal 10 is realized

>Goal 10: Vision of Society in 2050

A future society shaped by fusion energy A future society shaped by fusion energy

Fusion energy is a promising source of globally sharable energy that will support the sustainable development of society.

World peace achieved through shareability and sustainability

The fuel source for fusion energy is not concentrated in any specific country or region, potentially making it a source of energy available worldwide. Thus, it will contribute to the peaceful development of the entire world by avoiding monopolization of energy resources, and international conflicts and disputes as seen with fossil fuels such as oil and coal.
As a carbon-neutral energy with low environmental impact, it is a promising key technology for the sustainability of human activity, which will continue to develop further in the future. The increasing number of natural disasters and the worsening impacts of climate change mean that securing such a sustainable and powerful energy source is an urgent issue.

全世界の平和的な発展に寄与

Necessary technological innovations drive further development

Nuclear fusion, which produces fusion energy, is a reaction in which two light nuclei collide and fuse together. In the new nucleus formed by the fusion, the more stable (lower energy) binding state of elementary particles (quarks) releases excess energy. This reaction energy is enormous, equivalent to approximately 100,000 times the energy obtained from the combustion of fossil fuels (oxidation reaction), which means that 1 g of fuel can generate heat energy equivalent to 8 tons of oil.
The stable and safe generation of nuclear fusion to utilize fusion energy requires a wide range of advanced new technologies. They include new materials that can withstand extremely high heat, high-current beam technology, superconducting technology and AI to control more complex equipment. The challenges involved in such extreme technologies will create new possibilities not only for fusion energy but also for a wide range of industries, such as space development, medicine and even hydrogen technology. In this regard, the project is being promoted as a major challenge for humankind involving a wide range of fields with the cooperation of various scientists and engineers.

様々な科学・技術に発展するフュージョンエネルギー

To support the future digital society and expand the sphere of human activity

The construction of advanced cyberspace, which is the aim of the rapidly expanding digital transformation (DX), requires data centers equipped with a vast number of servers. Their energy demand is expected to rapidly increase, intensifying competition for energy in the IT industry. This is the dilemma between DX and green transformation (GX).
Fusion energy promises to be a key solution to this problem. The practical implementation of fusion energy, which has a low environmental impact, will enable a future in which the expansion of the digital sphere of human activities, such as interactions through work, recreation and sports, travel and shopping in cyberspace, will be in harmony with the real world of nature.

サイバー空間を支えるフュージョンエネルギー

Building a future-oriented society, and expanding the sphere of human life

Fusion energy promises to play the following roles as a technology that goes beyond a mere energy source, and drives the proactive future development of humankind.
One role is to build a secure and safe future. This means that fusion energy will be the foundation for building a society resilient to various disasters caused by climate change around the world, earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as the destruction of nature and cities due to wars and conflicts. A stable, powerful and compact energy source that can drive various machinery and information systems will help create cities and industries with less damage, and even if there is damage, a quick and meticulous recovery will be possible. In addition, if energy supply is not unevenly distributed and an ecosystem of local production for local consumption can be realized, it will lead to the development of diverse local communities with a high degree of fairness.
Humans have a narrow habitable zone, are vulnerable to heat and cold, and require a constant atmospheric pressure and air environment, as well as a variety of food and water cycles to sustain their bodies. Humans, who must live without defying nature, inevitably need to expend a great deal of energy. With the powerful energy of fusion energy, we can expand our sphere of activity into harsher, unexplored areas, and create new values.

目標10イメージ

Contact

Goal 10 Secretariat
Department of Moonshot Research and Development Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency

e-mail moonshot-goal10adjst.go.jp