For over 40 years, world leaders have been studying the benefits and possibilities of using plasma for a series of objectives. From Japan to the United States to Brazil, scientists have been figuring out how to use plasma as a way to contribute to the energy crisis. Recently, Costa Rica has joined the elite team in the race to producing electricity with this forth state of matter.
Ten students from the Costa Rican Institute of Technology (TEC) are hard at work at producing electricity from hydrogen. With the help of a plasma generator, these students have projected that they can produce 208,000 kilowatts of electricity from 8 grams of hydrogen. This amount of energy is enough to power at least 8,000 homes.
TEC students have been working with the National Fusion Laboratory in Spain and have been following Spain’s advances on the plasma generator in real time. In addition, the Ad Astra Rocket Company, located in Guanacaste and property of Costa Rican astronaut and plasma expert Franklin Chang-Diaz, has also opened their doors to the TEC students in contribution to the project.
Ad Astra Rocket is currently working on a plasma engine and chamber that will eventually break down waste material from different industries in order to obtain their prime material and turn it into energy.
Students as well as experts are confident that in the near future, Costa Rica will be able to have a plasma generated device that will transform hydrogen particles into commercial energy.
