Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
A Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough May Be Closer Than You Think
https://time.com/7302543/nuclear-energy-commonwealth-fusion/Jul 17, 2025 7:00 AM ET
A Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough May Be Closer Than You Think
by Justin Worland/Devens, Mass.
Senior Correspondent
…
…
In February, a leading renewable energy trade group gathered industry luminaries for a summit on the future of the U.S. power sector. In the middle of the discussion, former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Andrew Wheeler, now a partner at law firm Holland & Hart, rejected the possibility of fusion becoming commercial in the next 20 years. Even if there are advances, the regulatory process will take too long, he said. Moniz jumped in to correct: in 2023, federal authorities announced a streamlined process that will make fusion energy easier to deploy than old-school nuclear fission.
“Very few people know that that's already something in the cards,” Moniz told me later about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s decision to regulate fusion reactors more like particle accelerators, which are inherently less risky than fission reactors. The decision was later solidified with a federal law.
In casual chats with energy watchers over the last six months, I’ve had a version of the same conversation over and over again: a policymaker, investor, or academic rejects the possibility of commercial fusion but their opinion reflects outdated information or lacks awareness of the current state of the technology.
…
“We wanted to make the technology work as soon as possible,” says Brandon Sorbom, the company’s chief science officer. “Everything else is subordinate to that.”
…
https://cfs.energy/technology/sparcA Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough May Be Closer Than You Think
by Justin Worland/Devens, Mass.
Senior Correspondent
…
…
In February, a leading renewable energy trade group gathered industry luminaries for a summit on the future of the U.S. power sector. In the middle of the discussion, former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Andrew Wheeler, now a partner at law firm Holland & Hart, rejected the possibility of fusion becoming commercial in the next 20 years. Even if there are advances, the regulatory process will take too long, he said. Moniz jumped in to correct: in 2023, federal authorities announced a streamlined process that will make fusion energy easier to deploy than old-school nuclear fission.
“Very few people know that that's already something in the cards,” Moniz told me later about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s decision to regulate fusion reactors more like particle accelerators, which are inherently less risky than fission reactors. The decision was later solidified with a federal law.
In casual chats with energy watchers over the last six months, I’ve had a version of the same conversation over and over again: a policymaker, investor, or academic rejects the possibility of commercial fusion but their opinion reflects outdated information or lacks awareness of the current state of the technology.
…
“We wanted to make the technology work as soon as possible,” says Brandon Sorbom, the company’s chief science officer. “Everything else is subordinate to that.”
…