May 13, 2024
A commercial fusion energy source has never been closer to appearing on the electrical grid. Amazing, major breakthroughs in fusion science and technology are accelerating the potential for fusion energy to transform the global energy market and catalyze an equitable transition to a clean economy. Alongside overcoming significant remaining technical challenges, learning about the massive scale of investment, innovation, and excitement for fusion energy was inspiring. Here are a few of my takeaways from participating in Fusion Energy Week – U.S. Fusion Energy last week: How Fusion Works Fusion is not fission. Fusion binds. Fission divides. Fusion could provide abundant, safe, reliable, zero-carbon energy – 4x greater than fission. Fission faces many challenges, amongst them its destructive potential, global security proliferation risks and oversight, radiation, and nuclear waste. Yes, they share some science and technical (S&T) fundamentals and the word “nuclear”, yet the difference between fusion and fission is not just a linguistic nuance. It is not like thinking of soccer in the US and football non-US. It appears to me it is more like understanding the key differences and distinctions across cue sports: billiards, pool, and snooker. Fusion replicates a natural process that powers the sun and stars. For almost a century, scientists have been trying to replicate this on our planet earth. To do so, scientists bring together two atoms of Hydrogen (H), the lightest element of the periodic table, to create a heavier atom, essentially isotopes of H, deuterium and tritium. Various devices and methods including magnets and lasers are being developed for fusion. The leading concept is the Tokamak , which uses electromagnetic forces to confine very hot (+100MM degrees Celsius), charged, magnetic plasma in a vessel in the shape of a donut. This plasma produces heat which is then run through a turbine and a generator to convert the thermal energy into electricity. Should you want to dive deeper in the science behind fusion, suggest checking out the resources available at the US Fusion Energy website, the Office of Nuclear Energy at the Department of Energy, and Dr. Anne White's, Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, explanation of fusion in 5 levels of difficulty published in Wired (magazine). Hats off to anyone who gets their kids to sing along this song – “not an illusion, if we get it just right”. Accelerating Systems Change Systems change in the financing and deploying of clean energy that address climate change and environmental, equitable justice, require a wide range of actors collaborating across their value chains and potentially beyond their interest. More often than not in non-traditional ways. I am excited and interested to see how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) federal and state, tax credits and electrification rebates, as well as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) $27 billion, are executed to accelerate energy independence, resiliency, and contribute to a fossil fuel-free world. The fight against climate change demands it is done ensuring fairness and equity, building a diverse and inclusive workforce, and fostering environmental stewardship. However, the fact is that the marginal value one heat pump, one solar roof installation, one induction stove, one electric vehicle or powered two-wheeler, one Energy Savings Agreement, one battery recycling solution, is small relative to its contribution to helping transform the energy transition. It is also very hard to measure. We need to speed up the pace of change. We also need scale. Fusion promises it. Mobilize & Leverage Private Capital from Public Funding The fusion energy market is already seeing a significant amount of investment into private fusion energy companies. According to Global Corporate Venturing and Pitchbook there are now over 40 venture-backed companies developing fusion technology. According to reports from the Fusion Industry Association , over the last decade, more than $4.7 billion of private capital has entered the space. Already the three-year and five-year moving averages of private funding exceed the available public funding sources. Fig. 1 - Private and Public Funding vs. Year. Hsu, S. U.S. Fusion Energy Development via Public-Private Partnerships. J Fusion Energ 42, 12 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-023-00357-9