Helium-3 Power Generation

Helium-3 may be the fuel for a new generation of clean, nuclear fusion power plants. Unfortunately, helium-3 is also exceptionally rare on the Earth. There is, however, thought to be an abundant supply of helium-3 on the surface of the Moon. Mining lunar helium-3 may also become a large part of our "solution" to Peak Oil, broader fossil fuel depletion, and climate change.

The first uses deuterium (deuterium is hydrogen with a neutron) reacting with Helium-3, to produce helium and a proton. The second type of reactions uses two atoms of helium-3 to create helium and two protons. The protons created during the reaction are the crown jewel of Helium-3 fusion.

For example, much has been made of the fact that the Moon has indigenous supplies of helium-3, an isotope not found on Earth and which could be of considerable value as a fuel for second generation thermonuclear fusion reactors.Mars has no known helium-3 resources.