Fusion must be a national priority for the future of US energy security
https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/5256084-fusion-energy-us-leadership/
Fusion must be a national priority for the future of US energy security
https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/5256084-fusion-energy-us-leadership/
17 Comments
From the article
[Fusion, the process that powers the stars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusion), is a limitless, clean, safe and sustainable energy source. Mastering it on Earth would create a shift from energy scarcity to energy abundance, unlocking breakthroughs in transportation, manufacturing and clean water access while enabling reliable electricity worldwide and innovative environmental solutions once deemed unfeasible.
This is the promise of fusion, and the U.S. must seize the moment.
Like previous technology revolutions, such as the rise of semiconductors, the successful commercialization of fusion energy would represent one of the most profound advances in human history. Fusion would create a trillion-dollar industry requiring a highly skilled workforce, new infrastructure and diverse supply chains. Estimates suggest commercial fusion could increase global GDP by [$68 trillion](https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/fusion-energy-future/). Moreover, fusion will provide long-term energy security, shielding the U.S. from hostile nations weaponizing energy resources.
Please, honest Don said reopening the coal mines would be all that we need.
With Trump cutting research funding, and driving researchers from the field, the private sector and states are going to have to step up. My big fear is keeping access open. If it is private funding and investment that makes fusion truly economically viable, we will have a few players holding the keys to one of our paths forward.
I do find it interesting that the authors are from Arizona, which is one of the richest locations for solar power in the US.
I’ll be all on board with fusion once there’s a viable power-producing design. Fission has the same benefits, but there are an abundance of proven reactor designs already in existence. Any sane energy policy moving forward should lean most heavily on fission and renewables, and we should keep investing in researching fusion because it would be pretty great if it worked.
Fusion can still only occur at extreme pressures and temperatures. You can make it happen under the right conditions but still no way to harness and store the energy created. As of 2025, no device has achieved a net power gain, at least publicly.
Cold fusion has always been the dream but right now it doesn’t exist. I’m personally more intrigued by the thorium salt reactor or related design.
So far any nuclear hasn’t been a priority in the US so I question skipping all the proven reactors that we know work and skipping towards fusion energy, which only exists to my knowledge in a research and development context.
Maybe the US Navy should declassify the compact fusion reactor they’ve been sitting on….
[https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielcohen/2019/10/30/a-breakthrough-in-american-energy-dominance-us-navy-patents-compact-fusion-reactor/](https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielcohen/2019/10/30/a-breakthrough-in-american-energy-dominance-us-navy-patents-compact-fusion-reactor/)
There is not even enough fuel on hand to start the first reactor going. Without another source of tritium we can’t jumpstart the process.
Moon, or build more fission to extract more Tritium.
Fusion has been 20 years away for 60 years. Even if they ever actually get it to work it will be incredibly expensive. Fission, wind, solar and backup NG are already sufficient for our needs. Ban cryptocurrency and limit AI. That will be more cost effective.
You guys think solar and wind pollutes more than coal. Good luck with fusion 🤣
Yeah, and that’s why Trump is supporting coal. He is not just incompetent, he is actively supporting anything that will destroy this country.
Only if it can be fueled by yards and yards of coal. (and be furnace shaped)
Why TF do we care about fusion so much when we barely use fission?
We already have fusion power for cheap: it’s called solar.
The rise of the semiconductor industry and everything from computers to smartphones is directly tied to NASA / the U.S. Space program, which was not tied to profit making or space tourism. Same effort will be required for Fusion, and China is ahead of us as 47/Musk slash away.
That’s never gonna happen under Trump.
“Clean glorious coal” 🙂
This really is the dumbest timeline.
Havent you heard big beautiful clean coal is the future of america a coal plant on every street corner is the perfect future we should all strive for, instead of sending our youth to college to learn maths and science they will be sent into mines amd since we will stop testing for black lung it wont exist anymore
The US is too addicted to gasoline and natural gas. China or France will figure it out first and profit from it instead. The US may eventually be forced to import their cheap power.