Nuclear fusion in the future offers an almost limitless, emission-free energy source, once it is scaled and commercialized.

Engineers from the New Zealand company OpenStar Technologies have created a levitating energy generator that uses the fourth state of matter, plasma. This innovation could transform current energy production and may serve as a model for clean energy generation in the future, according to ecoticias.com.

Most people are familiar with the three standard states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. However, there is also a fourth state — plasma, which is an electrified, high-energy gas created under high-temperature conditions, such as those found in the sun or lightning. In this state, atoms break apart into charged particles of matter called ions and electrons, which distinguishes plasma from other states. One of the limitations has been the inability to control and work with plasma, but advancements in technologies like the levitating dipole reactor are making it possible for energy production.

OpenStar Technologies is developing a levitating dipole reactor that uses high-temperature superconductivity (HTS) and a contactless electromagnet to contain the plasma. The process, necessary in nuclear fusion reactors, is called magnetic confinement. While nuclear fission, the splitting of atoms, releases energy, nuclear fusion involves the merging of atomic nuclei.

This process is the energy source of the sun and, if harnessed, could offer an almost limitless energy source with helium as the only waste, making it much safer and more sustainable than current fission-based nuclear power plants.

Another feature of this levitating generator is that it uses magnetic levitation, or maglev. This lifts and “suspends” objects using powerful magnets, reducing wear and friction. In energy harvesting, this technology converts vibrations in the environment or mechanical energy into electrical energy. The lightweight levitating generator uses maglev-based energy harvesting systems, a nearly unused area, and thus this technology could revolutionize how energy is collected from the movements and vibrations of everyday objects.

Different geometries of maglev systems can be used to ensure effective energy generation. For example, single-coil, bistable, and multi-coil configurations have been adopted to find the best strategy for converting energy from magnetic levitation. They can generate electricity by using the oscillations of magnetic fields created by moving levitating magnets. The application of magnetic levitation for energy generation is a step toward the development of environmentally clean, localized energy for distributing electricity or powering small devices.

If the levitating reactor from OpenStar Technologies works, it will mark the dawn of a new era in energy production. Nuclear fusion in the future promises an almost limitless, emission-free energy source once it is scaled and commercialized, surpassing fossil fuels or nuclear fission as a power source.

The application of magnetic levitation for electricity generation means that power could be produced from numerous local sources rather than large power plants. This would decentralize energy production, increase the security of energy supply, and reduce the environmental impact of power generation. Additionally, superconductors and magnetic levitation have the potential to revolutionize many fields, including transportation (maglev trains), electronics, and medicine. As technology advances and costs decrease, incorporating levitation into energy systems could become a more efficient way to meet the growing global demand for energy.

A levitating generator using plasma, the fourth state of matter and a source of high energy, is the next step toward a world of green energy. In addition to efficient energy production through nuclear fusion and magnetic levitation, this technology could address many global environmental issues today.