{"id":27626,"date":"2022-11-23T08:26:48","date_gmt":"2022-11-23T08:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=27626"},"modified":"2024-09-12T12:09:57","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T11:09:57","slug":"nuclear-fusion-energy-commercialisation-in-the-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/nuclear-fusion-energy-commercialisation-in-the-us\/27626\/","title":{"rendered":"The edge of fusion energy commercialisation in the US"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dr Scott Hsu, Lead Fusion Coordinator at the U.S. Department of Energy<\/a>, outlines recent efforts in the US\u2019 journey to commercialising fusion energy.<\/h2>\n

As the world focuses on finding cleaner energy sources, efforts to accelerate the mass adoption of fusion energy are ramping up. Replicative of the reaction that powers our Sun, fusion power generates electricity using heat from nuclear fusion reactions. Whilst many research organisations around the world are working to advance fusion science and generate a practical fusion energy source, the commercialisation of fusion energy is not yet a reality and many challenges must be overcome.<\/p>\n

The potential benefits of fusion energy are immense in the global energy transition, as it holds the promise of being an on-demand, safe and abundant source of carbon-free energy and electricity. These benefits, combined with the complex challenges associated with generating fusion energy, have prompted a large international effort to accelerate fusion research and development (R&D).<\/p>\n

The US is a major player in this work and efforts were significantly accelerated following the implementation of the United States Energy Act of 2020, which set out multiple provisions to drive forward the movement towards a clean energy future. In March 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) co-hosted a White House Summit entitled \u2018Developing a Bold Decadal Vision for Commercial Fusion Energy\u2019. The aim of the Bold Decadal Vision is to establish a strong partnership between the DOE and the fusion private sector to further fusion science and develop a world-leading, US-led commercial fusion industry. The Vision will also address the various regulatory and security issues associated with commercialising fusion.<\/p>\n

The first step towards realising the Vision came in September 2022, when the DOE announced up to $50m in funding to launch a new milestone-based fusion development program, as authorised in the Energy Act. The program will support for-profit entities, who may team with national laboratories, universities, and others, to meet major technical and commercialisation milestones toward the successful design of a fusion pilot plant (FPP) that will help bring fusion toward technical and commercial viability.<\/p>\n

Dr Scott Hsu is the Lead Fusion Coordinator for the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Innovation at the DOE, responsible for co-ordinating fusion energy activities across multiple DOE program offices. The Innovation Platform<\/em> Editor, Georgie Purcell, spoke to Dr Hsu to learn more about the fusion activities of the DOE and how these fit with the US\u2019 overall strategy to transform the energy sector with fusion.<\/p>\n

What are the major challenges faced by the US in the plight to commercialise fusion energy? How can these be overcome?<\/h3>\n

There are both technical and non-technical challenges.<\/p>\n

Technical challenges are well known and include:<\/p>\n