(CNN) --
US Department of Energy officials announced a historic breakthrough in nuclear fusion Tuesday: For the first time, American scientists produced more energy from fusion than the laser energy used to power the experiment. .
The so-called "net energy gain" is a major milestone in a decades-long attempt to obtain unlimited clean energy from nuclear fusion, the reaction that occurs when two or more atoms fuse together.
The experiment input 2.05 megajoules of energy and resulted in 3.15 MJ of fusion energy output, generating more than 50% more energy than was put in.
It is the first time that an experiment has generated a significant energy gain.
Nuclear power could be the clean energy source the world needs
“This monumental scientific breakthrough is a milestone for the future of clean energy,” said Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California.
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